Hard Enough - Chapter 452 - Wedding - Part four - A dragon's speech (Patreon)

The afternoon quickly turned to evening with lanterns appearing throughout the gardens.

When it came time for the wedding party to enter the hall, they did so with the groomsmen and bridesmaids leading the way.

The music from the band had to rise to stay above the surging volume of applause as the crowd cheered and clapped as Lance and Erika led the way.

Before people could settle down, it was Brock and Sabrina’s time to enter, and the music finally succumbed to the pursuit of applause as it was overtaken.

The hall rang loudly as Brock and Sabrina walked through the crowd.

People rose to applaud them, and Lance chuckled as he saw famed actors, actresses, Mayors, CEO’s Gym Leaders and Elite Four from across the world congratulating them.

There were so many that all Brock and Sabrina could do was nod in various directions, acknowledging well-wishers and those close to them.

They made their way to a raised dais where the other wedding party sat in assorted couples. Brock made sure to pull Sabrina’s chair out for her while Sabrina levitated Brock’s out for him.

When they sat, they both reached out for the other, their hands intertwining without them even having to say or look. They just did it.

Lance sat next to Brock and smiled at how in sync they were.

Erika shot him a perplexed look and he waved a hand towards the newlyweds. “They’re just being ridiculously cute is all.”

Before things could settle down too much, a microphone thumped out, and Lance turned to find Surge of all people towering behind a gilded lectern. 

“Ah, good, this thing is on,” Surge muttered, his voice clearly projected as he smirked out at the crowd. “How’s it going everyone? You having a good night?”

People shifted, uncertain, only for Oak to stand and cup his hands. 

“Whoooooooo!” he called.

“That’s what I’m talking about! That’s a good attitude to have!” Surge replied, stabbing a finger at Oak. “Now, for those of you who do know me, shut the hell up, and for those of you who don’t, I’m Commander Surge and I like long walks on the beach with the various growlithe puppies I adopt in my spare time from being a children’s heart surgeon.”

He faked a modest look and bashfully rubbed the back of his head.

A wave of laughter rang out, with Lance finding himself snorting at the absurdity Surge was spewing. 

Surge didn’t even bat an eye, he just stuck his tongue out. 

“Ha! Nah, I’m Lieutenant Surge! I used to be the Vermilion Gym Leader before I handed the role off to my daughter!” he put a hand over his eyes. “Where’s my baby girl?”

“Fuck you dad we all know you were in prison!”

“Ha! That’s my baby girl, a jokester like her daddy!” Surge said over the top of his daughter while shooting Lance a wink.

Lance put his head in his hands. Dear arceus, who thought it was a good idea to give Surge the MC role?

Lance turned to the side to find both Brock and Sabrina had large smiles in place. They were both enjoying this far too much.

Ah, of course.

Surge chuckled along for a bit. Before waving a hand. “Now we’ve got some other great folk that will be speaking besides me. Sabrina’s dad, Saul? He’s got a solid five minutes, so watch out there! Then later we’re gonna hear from Erika and Lance, two kinda big shot trainers from Ka… I mean Indigo!” Surge said, adjusting at the last moment.

Surge turned and gave another table off to the side, which was equal to the wedding table but set on a different side of the room. “I think we all need to give Queen Ilene and the castle staff a big thank you for letting Brock and Sabrina host their wedding in such a fantastic location!”

Lance blinked in surprise even as he joined in the applause for the pleased Queen of Rota. He hadn’t been expecting Surge of all people to show such tact.

Surge grinned, slipping back into his lackadaisical state.

“Righto we’ve got ourselves a small break until Saul is up! Until then, we’re gonna have some more food and such with the palace staff seeing to everyone’s needs. If you want a different wine, beer, or beverage, be sure to speak up!”

Surge pumped a fist. “Tonight isn’t a night to be shy! When it’s time for the dance floor to open up I want each and every one of you out there! I don’t care if you’re left-footed, right-footed, or ain’t got no feet, get on the dance floor and shake it! This night is for Brock and Sabrina, but it’s up to us to make it the best we can!” 

Surge punched the air once again. “Now this time I want to hear it properly! WHO’S UP FOR A GOOD NIGHT?”

This time, a large group rose and cheered, with Oak once more leading the charge making Surge nod along. “That’s more like it!”

He set the microphone down, which seemed to signal the serving staff to sweep in and lay out platters on the tables for people to choose from while drinks were offered to each individual.

Surge sauntered back to his seat only to pause and shake Brock’s hand when he stood and gave Surge a grin.

“Great start to the night Surge, keep it up!”

Surge beamed, clapping Brock on the shoulder. “Heh, no problem there, Brock! I’ll make this wedding party one to remember for a while!”

Lance hummed as a salad, along with a smoked Magikarp and various other seafood dishes were laid out on the long tables.

For the raised tables, however, waiters approached each of them with a pad out. “Sirs, madam, your dining menu is before you. May I take your order?”

“I’ll have the lot!” Surge declared without a hint of shame.

Brock and Sabrina snorted and made their own selections. Lance took a moment to look over the menu and nod to himself. “I’ll have the salad. I think that would go well for my entree,” he stated.

“I’ll have the salad as well!” chirped Erika with a pleased smile.

Lance pointedly didn’t look her way, not wanting her to read too much into the ‘preferring’ salad suggestion while sitting next to the Grass-type gym leader of Indigo. A look could after all carry a lot of weight either intended or otherwise and that was before he touched the wine he’d be drinking tonight.

Deciding not to overthink it too much, Lance glanced out to find that the reception was well and truly underway with everyone starting to converse and more than a few people standing to approach others that they knew.

Chuck for instance, had made a beeline towards the Hoenn group only to tackle Brawly and wrap an arm around him. Together they were roaring in laughter as others looked on.

Cynthia was happily conversing with Wallace, while… was Bruno thumb wrestling Marshal?

The table buckled a little as they applied too much pressure, causing Cynthia to turn away from Wallace and give them both a look.

She gestured outside, and they glowered. When she pointed at both of them, they cocked their heads like confused growlithe only for her to rise and stride outside.

Lance watched her go. “... your pokemon are outside to handle reparing the fields that are going to be used for fights, aren’t they?” he asked of Erika.

Erika followed his gaze towards the departing trio. “Yes… I also believe that some of Sabrina’s pokemon and trainers are working the Barriers to keep things as safe as they can.”

“Oh, good,” Lance remarked. “Shame they’re going to fight now. Later would be nice so we could watch.”

“There will always be more fights—” Erika started to say, only for screens to appear at the side of the hall. They were like small stadium screens. They came alive, with Cynthia standing on one side with a smirk as Bruno and Marshal glowered back at her.

“Oh good, the projection system is working,” Brock mused as Lance blinked. 

“You… really thought of everything, didn’t you?” Lance muttered.

Brock chuckled. “This many people from all over the world? There were bound to be people who got into fights. And some of those fights would be between strong or interesting trainers. People would want to watch those which might see them leaving the hall and making things feel…” Brock waved a hand, “A bit emptier than it should be. So we came up with this system for the castle as a compromise. Works pretty well, no?”

Lance nodded as Cynthia didn’t hold back, sending out her Togekiss out straight away with it mopping the floor with Bruno and Marshal’s pokemon despite the two-on-one advantage.

"Although I have to admit that I thought it would take a lot longer than this for a fight to start, Surge barely finished talking, and I don’t think the musician has gotten the soundtrack in place yet,” Brock murmured, only to hand Sabrina something that she pocketed.

“Did you bet against a psychic?” Lance asked, amused at Brock’s poorly thought-out plan. What was that about a soundtrack?

“Yeah, I did,” Brock replied. “But she said she wasn’t going to use her foresight on the bet, so I was happy to make it.”

“And you trusted her?" Lance chuckled with a small shake of his head.

Brock turned, casting an amused look back at Lance. “Of course I did. You can’t have a relationship without trust.”

For some reason, that resonated far more than Lance expected. He supposed it would actually hold up more with a psychic. You needed to trust each other as one side of the equation could do so much more… although… Brock was dark-aligned with his aura, wasn’t he?

Which should have garnered more suspicion from Sabrina, shouldn’t it?

He turned and considered her. 

She was smiling at something Bridget was telling her and looked giddy, like a girl whose dreams had all come true.

She looked like the quintessential bride.

Huh, Brock was a lucky man. Somehow he’d navigated through what should have been a barrier to their relationship.

From their raised dais, Lance was able to track more amusing interactions along with the ongoing stream of dedicated pokemon trainers along the hobbyists fighting on the big screen without really having to turn his head.

WInona caught his eye with her winking salaciously at him before taking a long drink of her wine.

Lance swallowed, feeling oddly hot around the collar suddenly as he kept his gaze roaming. Only to find himself locking eyes with Queen Ilene who smiled at him and caused his heart to beat a little quicker.

Oh dear… tonight would be interesting.

Deciding it might be safer to focus on his neighbours, he began to talk with Erika who… well he couldn’t be blamed for being a good conversationalist by the other ladies, could he?

As he turned, he found himself catching a far too pleased-looking Lorelei. There was no chemistry when they locked eyes, merely deep amusement on her part. He huffed and ignored her.

He shared some safe insights while enjoying his salad with Erika and the others before chuckling when two CEO’s appeared on the projections, both proclaiming they were sick of the other and throwing down with the most pampered-looking Flareon and Jolteon that Lance thought he’d ever seen.

“That… is a godsdamned travesty; look at the cankles on that fatty!” Surge crowed, as he pointed at the Jolteon as it bounced across the field more than ran.

The next fight ended up being more amusing as a foreign trainer with gray hair and a punk look to her dress challenged Brock’s sister.

“Oh… go Yolanda!” Brock crowed as his sister released an Arcanine to dominate the exchange.

Yolanda ended the fight and returned to the hall only to stiffen when various people cheered her victory with Brock even raising a glass. The grey-haired girl followed along with a pout and murmured somehting to Yolanda that had her rolling her eyes at the other girl.

Her confidence buoyed, Yolanda sauntered to the front of the band and took up a microphone during a lull.

“Hello everyone! My name is Yolanda and I’m something of a singer; tonight I’ll be performing for my brother and official big sister! I love you both!” she called as a guitar was run out to her. She strummed once and nodded to the band behind her, who followed her lead. 

They backed her up with a familiar beat.

“Is that—” Lance started to ask only for people to start stomp-stomp clapping along to the now iconic start to ‘We Will Rock You', which had become the Pewter Gym’s anthem.

Brock laughed at the end and rose to give his sister a standing ovation. “Huh, not the song I was expecting her to sing.”

“She’s saving the other one,” Sabrina said cryptically, and when Brock sent her a confused look, she merely shook her head, refusing to answer.

Before anyone could press her, Saul stepped up to the lectern as Sir Lucario appeared on the field, demanding a pause in the fighting so the speeches could continue uninterrupted.

“Hello there! I’m—”

Saul began, giving what was a rather heartfelt speech about struggling with a child that was too gifted for this world, only to later realise how much they’d fumbled raising her by letting their emotions take hold.

“I’d never thought I’d consider myself fortunate for a boy to catch my daughter’s eye so early in life. Brock, I don’t think you or she understood it back then, but you were clearly meant to be when you marched in and surprised my Sabrina with your victory over her as a young lad. You’ve both grown into wonderful young adults, and my wife and I are blessed to have you in our lives. We’re looking forward to being grandparents soon!”

A shrill cry caused people to look up only to find Lola twitching her gaze locked on Sabrina hopefully.

“Oh, that wasn’t a prediction! Sorry! It’s just a turn of phrase!” Saul called, causing Lola to click her tongue in annoyance and sit back down. It didn’t stop her shooting Sabrina pointed looks and mouthing ‘try for eleven!’.

Brock snorted, ignoring his mother’s antics. “Your dad has forgotten what it’s like to be remembered as a psychic with you around, hasn’t he?” he murmured to Sabrina as Saul wrapped up his speech.

Sabrina hushed him, then levitated out of her seat to give her father a warm hug and whisper a few words Lance didn’t try to listen to.

As it was, the actions perhaps spoke louder than anything else that might have been said between them.

Saul swept past, and Brock once more shook his hand and nodded without saying anything.

As soon as Saul was off the stage, the pokemon fights resumed, as did the next course. 

This time Lance didn’t go for anything light, but something that would fill him up. 

“The prime rib,” Lance declared, glad to see that a special breed of highland tauros was on offer that was great for their fat marbling along with flavour.

Some people might call it horrible to only raise pokemon for slaughter, but Lance had toured the facilities, and it was only older tauros that were starting to decline in health that were selected for food. 

They otherwise lived an idyllic life roaming the highlands in large herds with only a few ponyta riders for company and the odd health checkup.

Not all facilities did this, but the ones that did earned themselves golden stars of pokemon care that kept people coming back to them.

The steak itself was no bigger than his palm when it arrived, but it wafted a mouth-watering aroma that made Erika look towards it with interest as her second salad of the night was laid before her with what looked like tofu slices scattered throughout it.

A loud shout of surprise along with a squeal of delight, caused several people to look up only to find the student of Professor Oak being manhandled by a rather ecstatic girl who was shaking him.

“Ash! Ash! Must you remember me right? It’s me Serena!” shrieked the girl as others rubbed their ears in pain.

Even from here, Lance could see that the boy obviously had no idea who the girl was. The girl gaped, and slumped in place, tears starting to form. 

“You don’t remember me?” she wailed as she stood and ran off, causing Ash to stare after her.

Forrest walked over and lifted Ash up, only to shove him after the girl. 

Ash resisted for a moment as a pikachu of all things facepalmed from its position next to the boy’s plate.

“Yeesh, and here I thought Ash was clever. Guess he’s only clever in pokemon sense. Seems like a case of childhood love gone wrong,” muttered Surge with what sounded like a hint of wistfulness. “Story as old as time,” Surge murmured as he ate half of the prime rib in one giant bite.

“You’ve read stories?” Brock teased.

“Had to do something else when I wasn’t busy with conjugal visits in prison,” Surge replied without missing a beat. “Got time to work through a decent chunk of the library.”

Lance rubbed his forehead. Was there any point in reminding Surge that he wasn’t supposed to announce that he’d been in prison with him and his daughter openly talking about it?

 "Still, it might be a good thing for little Ashy boy. Bout time he got himself a girlfriend. I thought he’d be third-wheeling Forrest and Misty for life the way he was going.”

Brock snorted at Surge’s commentary while Sabrina turned to Surge. “How do you know Ash Ketchum?”

“Promising young upstart is what he is,” Surge replied as he snapped his fingers towards a waiter. “Two more beers and another steak good sir!” 

Surge took a sip of his drink before pointing the bottle at where Ash was flapping his hands and apologising to the young girl.

“He’s got a good idea of battling that kid. Course he sometimes needs to run face-first into a wall to learn a lesson, but he either finds a way through, around, or over it with a bit of time. He worked out that he could outspeed my third-tier Raichu for his badge in Vermillion. Not many notice that quirk, but he did. Heh, he probably still thinks he beat my real Raichu though. Ha! Be years before that kid is ready! And like a Pikachu will ever beat a Raichu!”

“Didn’t you just say—” Brock pointed out, only for Surge to bluster and wave him off.

Lance found himself laughing along before sweeping his gaze over the room, tracking who was going into deeper discussions and walking off into private rooms.

With the number of high-profile attendees, there were a lot of deals being made even during the reception. Even with President Kruger here working the room himself, Lance still needed to know what was going on.

“Would you like to go for a quick walk, Champion Lance?” asked Erika from next to him.

Lance almost denied her, then he remembered just who Erika was and what she was capable of. A walk with her would be very productive for him.

“I’d be delighted,” he replied.

When they both rose, Surge coughed pointedly and mimed tapping at his transceiver to remind them that they had a schedule.

“Ten minutes,” he mouthed as another steak was set before him.

Lance and Erika made use of those ten minutes to work the room. Erika knew the CEO’s and was able to set up small meetings that would happen after the speeches. Lance knew some of the influential trainers and had the credentials to force his way into several conversations that Erika would have no right to be a part of without being sought out.

Lance secured a promise for a one-on-one against Cynthia’s Garchomp that made his pulse race a little. Better yet, he did so with several others that he wanted to talk with, overhearing the conversation, sparking their interest in him.

From every indication, he’d seen Cynthia’s Garchomp was a beast of a pokemon but there was also an intelligence in those eyes that worried him.

He thought he’d known who the world’s strongest pokemon was prior to meeting Cynthia, and now he had to wonder if there wasn’t a new contender on the list.

He’d have a better idea before the end of the night, and from there he could develop plans for what was to come.

Then, before Lance could think about it very much, there was a lull as Surge stepped up to the podium once more.

“The next speaker doesn’t need much of an introduction; let’s give it up to Lance, the best man! Surge then gave a deliberate wink. “And yes, ladies, he is single and looking to mingle!”

Lance shook his head as he moved to take over the podium. He tried not to think too much about how he normally stood behind the podium after Surge had made it look like a child’s toy.

Brock was smirking; he likely knew precisely what Lance was thinking.

Was that why he’d asked Surge to be his MC?

Clever. 

Pushing the thoughts to the side, Lance adopted a smirk of his own.

“I’m Brock’s rival,” Lance began without a hint of shame. “We didn’t start as friends. Two years ago, I was locked into a fight with Brock and I thought I was too good for it.” 

Lance grimaced as people in the crowd hissed and a few even booed.

He didn’t need to look to know that Lola, Brock’s mother, was one of those catcallers.

He nodded along. “As we’ve heard before, Brock is an incredible teacher, and pride did come before the fall. I worry about what might have happened if that match had allowed for swap-outs, as while the match would have changed, Brock has since demonstrated that he is more than capable of fighting at the highest level, and perhaps the scoreline wouldn’t have been so complimentary to me.”

Lance nodded. “Since then I’ve fought Brock several more times with training matches and spars and even fought Legendary pokemon alongside Brock. There is no one I’d rather have at my side except perhaps his wife, but even before tonight they were a package deal. Brock is a mentor to many, an intellectual despite claiming he is not all that smart.”

Lance turned and nodded to Sabrina.

Lance shook his head. “I don’t think I know anyone else that has discovered so many new pokemon or variants to the point that they start being compared to Professor Oak of all people!”

“Hear, hear!” cheered said Professor Oak loudly as he rose to toast Brock, only for his granddaughter and an aide to yank him back into his seat.

Taking a moment to join in the amusement rippling through the crowd Lance chuckled before continuing, “From the encounters and traded barbs and taunts we’ve shared, I have been able to witness moments of weakness from Brock. Moments when he has not been at his best or when he has made a rare mistake. It has been in those moments that perhaps his true strength shows through. He doesn’t shy away from assessing the weakness. He learns from those moments and, in doing so, becomes better. I have learned that sometimes Brock’s contributions to the world are many and great, but there are often quieter moments where he will sit with trainers, friends, or people that he encounters and provide support.”

“In Pewter City, there is no son more beloved for the city as a whole, just as I’m sure Saffron has the same love for Sabrina, but I’ll leave Erika to talk of that. Brock, you make the world a better place and I know you will continue to do so each day. I look forward to future fights, quiet moments over tea, and more. Congratulations on your marriage, and here’s to many happy years to come. I look forward to what will come for both of you.”

Lance chuckled. “It might be a bit of a faux pas, but without giving the game away too much, I happened to be approached by several foreign dignitaries that were considering certain wedding gifts that might cause some issues with the current legislation along with your current gym roster being rather full up.”

Lance smirked. “As Champion, I have the right to award expanded stabling rights to specific Gyms, and considering your past record, I have for once not had any issues requesting and having the right for an additional fifty pokemon being permanently added to your Gym’s total roster. Now I do have another actual gift but I shall leave that in the pile for you to enjoy later. It’s small, but meaningful.”

Lance waved a hand towards a side room where he knew there were multiple tables with gifts strewn across them due to the huge number of attendees.

Brock looked suddenly interested in getting up and opening some, as he no doubt had realised that some of them had to contain foreign pokemon that very, very few people within Indigo had access to. 

Lance shot him a smirk; he had made sure that part of his speech wasn’t included in what Brock had access to so as to tease him.

Brock nodded, acknowledging that he was very appreciative of the trust and the ‘gift’. His eyes drifted eagerly to the side chamber.

Oak matched Brock’s interest and nodded to signal that if he went, Oak would follow.

Sabrina put her hand on Brock’s and shot him a firm look that had him coughing and sitting in his chair.

Lance raised a glass. “So, let’s raise our glasses and cheer for the happy couple!”

“The happy couple!” cheered the crowd, and Lance stepped back, having given what he considered a good speech.

Brock and Sabrina rose to thank him, and then it was Erika’s turn to perform her own, much more humorous tale of being friends with Sabrina and how that had evolved from being a mentor to having to intercede as Sabrina conducted social experiments on her trainers.

Lance found himself laughing more than he expected as Erika detailed various discussions that had, at the time, had her pulling at her hair and feeling like she was at her wits' end.

“—it’s funny how, in hindsight… this is actually hilarious, but at the time I just remember wondering where I could go from here,” Erika admitted.

“Where I went was to become better friends with you. I might not share your love of dolls or your jump scare tactics. I might not be as strong a pokemon trainer, but I’ll stand with you and be there to laugh, cry or anything in between!”

That got a round of awws from the crowd, and Lance smiled as Sabrina gave Erika a heartfelt hug at the end of her speech.

From there it was time to cut the wedding cake, and Lance was amazed to learn that the cake, a mountainous structure that had to be wheeled out on several trolleys with an Alakazam overlooking the entire process, was the product of Sabrina’s mother.

As Brock and Sabrina shared a kiss as the knife slid into the cake, a small pokemon in a tiny suit appeared at their side, eyes glistening as it beheld the cake.

“Oh… who let a Munchlax in?” Lance murmured as he reached for a pokeball only for Brock to reach out and catch Munchlax before its instincts could take hold of it.

Brock cut a small piece off and handed it to Sabrina as she did the same. Lance found it interesting that she actually did the task physically instead of just controlling it with her mind.

The happy couple both took bites at the same time as another slice was cut off the cake and levitated itself to the little pokemon who stared at it like all his dreams had come true.

Munchlax beamed and reached for the slice, accepting it, only to pause. It put the slice to the side with a visible effort of will before stepping in to give both Brock and Sabrina a hug around their legs, causing the two of them to blink and bend to pat the little pokemon on the back.

They whispered something, and Munchlax nodded before stepping back, taking its slice of cake and darting back to Brock’s family. Only when it was seated did it eat its prize.

“Never heard of a Munchlax resisting its instincts like that before…” Lance murmured.

“Brock and Sabrina can have that effect on people, and pokemon,” Erika replied.

Lance nodded only to jolt as Surge once more took to the microphone. 

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of the night! Let’s give it up for Brock and Sabrina’s first dance!” he crowed. “Last one on the floor after their show is a slowpoke!”

Lance rose, offering Erika a hand as they walked to the ballroom set aside for dancing.

The band, or was it a second band? Were ready for Brock and Sabrina.

When the music started, both Brock and Sabrina once more activated their pokemon’s mega evolutions, causing them to become brilliant with power and glow that caused people to track them.

Their dance could have been terrible, and Lance wouldn’t have been able to say anything against it.

But of course, they had a wonderful dance that they performed perfectly with Brock finishing in a kneeling position with Sabrina sitting in his lap and giving him a heartfelt kiss.

The music faded in time with their glow, and people blinked.

Then the music began again, and Surge led a wave of people onto the dance floor as the band struck up a lively song. 

Lance lost himself dancing with Erika, who was extremely upbeat, only for another lady to appear to the next song and Erika made a face as she stepped back with Skyla grinning as she pressed her advantage over the grass-type Gym Leader.

Lance relaxed and continued to dance, finding himself with multiple partners.

Winona twirled Lance away from Skyla only for Drasna to step in for her own dance immediately afterwards.

A page then summoned Lance to lead Queen Ilene herself out for a spin or two about the dance floor, which made Lance feel extremely lucky as he realised that very, very few men could ever claim to have danced with a queen before.

During one of the dances, a chill ran through him and he half expected to turn and find Lorelei behind him. When he looked, he found himself rather befuddled to see Brock’s Golem of all things being led around by Agatha’s Aegislash as they waltzed badly about the dance floor.

“Goooooooolem?’ wailed the Goelm as he stared pleadingly at Lance for help.

Lance looked away. He wasn’t in any position to help others right now, with his own woman problems taking up all his attention.

He was just starting to relax back with Queen Ilene when Surge’s voice once more cut through the music.

“And now for all the single ladies, let’s get out on the dance floor cause it’s time for the bouquet toss!”

Women who had been vying for Lance’s attention turned with eerie precision as they locked onto Sabrina, or more importantly, the small bouquet she had.

Karen emerged in her outfit, rolling her shoulders while Erika took up a position in the centre of the formation. Skyla and Winona smirked at everyone as they bounced lightly on their feet having kicked off their heels for the moment.

Lance swallowed, feeling an odd tension build up as women locked eyes with each other.

Then Visquez stepped up and people turned in unison to eye her up.

She easily stood a head and a half taller than any of her competition.

She smirked and jerked her chin. “Don’t worry, I ain’t in the mix; good luck ladies!” she cheered, raising a glass of something bubbling to the crowd of women as they relaxed.

Lance watched Sabrina turn her back on the group and pantomimed throwing it over her shoulder twice; then, on the third, she tossed it up high.

Heads rose.

Lance detected a flicker of movement that had him snapping his head down and moving into a defensive position, only to find Janine laying out Karen by kicking her legs out before sliding past her and snagging Winona before she could take flight with a powerful leap.

Karen landed on her backside, glared around, and cursed.

“You… bitch…” She murmured to the air as Erika shot upwards with a glint in her eyes. 

She caught the bouquet, and Lance chuckled, knowing that it would have taken… “Where is Skyla…?" Lance said only to turn and find Visquez had a hand on the final threat to Erika. 

Visquez grinned as she led Skyla in a quick march over to the still flat on her face Winona. “Up girls! You’re gonna be my backup dancers! She ordered as he scooped up the dazed Hoenn Gym Leader. 

“You can come too!” Visquez crowed as her hand snapped out to grab another person to drag them into the middle of the group.

Trapped between the three of them and unsure if he should be offended or pleased with this arrangement, Falkner blinked slowly.

Visquez started steering the group to the stage. 

“Come on up! I wasn’t joking!” she crowed.

“Ah, that explains that,” Lance murmured, only to blink as Erika turned and shot him a victorious look that had him worrying for the rest of the night.

Then she giggled and turned away, letting him relax.

Lance shook himself. Why did it suddenly feel that he was going to be facing more pressure rather than less with the wedding nearing completion?

Lance turned and marched up to Cynthia; at least a fight with her would be more straightforward.

When he reached her, she shot him a worried look. “You’re not about to ask me to dance, are you?”

“What? No!” Lance spluttered, only to tilt his head. “Are you about to ask me to dance?”

“No, but now I feel like I should be offended,” Cynthia remarked, causing Lance to oddly feel the same way. “Eh, come on, let’s get this fight over with, I have my eyes on the dessert table that is going to open up soon!”

“Now I definitely feel like I’m being overlooked,” Lance muttered as he was led into the gardens for a fight.

He’d just have to make sure he wasn’t ambushed on the way back inside for another sort of encounter in the gardens afterwards.

He stepped onto the field across from Cynthia only to pause. 

Why was a piano piece starting to play? 

Why did Cynthia look super into it?

Why did Lance just know this was Brock's fault?

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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!

It also goes to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!