This piece is for Dtmahanen, who asked for a fic that dealt with being a celebrity. One of the Pokemon included in their prompt list was Swampert, and “Calls with an Ex-Champion” still remains as one of my favorite one-shots, so I had to take the prompt on!
Splash
“Are you ready, Splash?”
As much as I wanted to groan out in protest, I knew it would be in vain. Press conferences like these always felt longer than they actually were, and May always wanted to get ready as soon as possible. And since I was her starter, almost all of the reporters wanted me to appear with her, mostly for their photos but also if they wanted May to demonstrate some moves or use her key stone.
But I groaned out anyway, just to see if I could get a few more minutes of peace.
“Come on, Splash,” I heard her say. “We need to do a rehearsal of the questions we’ll be answering, and all the cues you need to know for when you’ll take the spotlight. Isn’t that exciting?”
I let out a sigh in response.
“Yeah, yeah, but we’ll get through it together, right?” May said as she patted my neck. “As always.”
All I could do was nod. Ever since we won against Mr. Steven a few days ago—or was it a few weeks ago? I’m not sure—it’s like everyone in Hoenn wanted to talk to May and become friends with her. Day in and day out, it’s been interview after interview, exhibition match after exhibition match, and private meal after private meal. May and I had always wanted to become the strongest trainer in Hoenn, but neither of us thought it was going to be like this.
But that’s what happens when Hoenn gets a new Champion after eleven years. At least, that’s what Mr. Steven told us before our very first press conference all those days (weeks?) ago.
“When I defeated Drake and became Champion, I couldn’t count how many interviews I did each day,” Mr. Steven had said. “I know it’ll be a bit overwhelming, but know that it’s not going to be permanent, alright?”
“A bit overwhelming” was underselling it.
Today, it was a press conference that featured media from different regions like Sinnoh and Kanto. May always talked about how she wanted to visit those regions to meet new Pokemon and battle different types of trainers. I think going to Johto would be a great way to take a vacation and get back on our journey!
“Ready for today, May?”
My musings were interrupted by a familiar voice. Even if he wasn’t Champion anymore, Mr. Steven was always there to help May out and give her a boost in confidence.
“As ready as I can be,” I heard May reply.
“See? You don’t sound like you’re tired of this at all!” Mr. Steven said.
I was about to object when May said, “That means I’ve gotten better at hiding it.”
I nod furiously, which prompted a laugh from both of them. I always liked seeing May this way, where she wasn’t thinking too much or feeling too overwhelmed.
“Well, lucky for you, there’s only one other thing you have to do after the press conference. And it’s just another private dinner, so no cameras or repetitive questions.”
Both May and I sigh in relief almost instantaneously, which made us look at each other and laugh.
“That’s great to hear,” she said. “Who are we having dinner with?”
“I think you’d like it more if it was a surprise,” said Mr. Steven, which made May shocked.
“Aww, come on!” she said. I was also curious about who we’ll be having dinner with, but if Mr. Steven wouldn’t reveal who they were to May, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get it out of him.
“Just think of it as something to look forward to after the presscon,” said Steven with a wink. “And besides, I’m not going. The invitation only asked for you.”
I made a cry, which caught Mr. Steven’s attention. “And her trusty Swampert, of course,” he added, to which I reacted with a wide grin.
“Huh, just me and Splash?” May said. “That’s odd.”
“Don’t think about it too much,” Mr. Steven reassured her, but I could feel he also directed it to me. “Your mystery visitor will be waiting for you in Cafe Crawdaunt at 8 o’clock.”
“Whoa, fancy!” May said, her loud voice almost surprising me. “No wonder you weren’t invited. They probably couldn’t afford to pay for more than one person!”
I saw Mr. Steven about to say something, but he decided not to at the last second. “Well, tell them I said hi, alright? And good luck with the presscon!”
With a handshake and some head rubs—Mr. Steven’s hands always felt much rougher than May’s—he bade us farewell, but not before reminding us that we had two minutes before the dress rehearsal.
“At least we have that dinner to be excited about, right?” May told me, to which I cried happily in reply. If it made May excited, then I knew it was going to be something worth waiting for.
“We’re taking only three more questions from the press. Thank you.”
As soon as I heard that, I sighed, quiet enough so that no one else would notice. But May always noticed, and she gave me a gentle rub on the neck to assure me that it was going to be okay.
The press conference had been pretty tame, with the reporters’ questions all being ones May had answered before. It was boring, sure—there were only so many ways she could explain how it felt being the youngest Champion Hoenn has ever had—but at least it wasn’t difficult. The only question that bothered us so far was when a Hoenn TV reporter asked if May was dating anyone, but the emcee quickly dismissed it and asked for another question.
Even if she was seeing someone, that wasn’t any of their business! I feel so bad for May whenever the questions get too personal. I want to blast a Water Gun to the reporters’ faces every time I hear them!
At least this press conference is almost done. I just hope May isn’t too burned out yet…
“Yes, Ms. May, over here,” a man said to the microphone as he stood up in the middle of the crowd. “Ken from Pokemon News Press. Your father is currently in charge of one of the gyms in this region. Will you be taking over the Petalburg Gym once Mr. Norman decides to retire, or once someone succeeds you as Hoenn Champion?”
It was the first time I heard that question, but it didn’t seem like something May would answer. She just got the Champion title, after all—why would she think about becoming a Gym Leader? Besides, Mr. Norman hasn’t been a Gym Leader for a long time, so I doubt he has any plans of retiring.
“That’s something we haven’t discussed yet, actually!” May answered. “But Dad is enjoying his role as a Gym Leader very much, so he’ll be holding onto the position for quite some time!”
I nodded in agreement to myself. I’ve gotten pretty good in guessing how May would answer questions. It was a good way to keep myself entertained while I stood behind her.
“Ms. May, I’m Rico from JRBN,” another man who sat on the opposite side of the audience from Ken said. “Reports say that you played an important role in solving the Team Magma and Team Aqua crises a few months ago. As Champion, how would you prevent similar crises from happening in the future?”
Important role? May did all of the work! I was the one who had to defeat those evil team leaders. And May was the one who needed to calm down those giant legendary Pokemon!
“Our work before already quelled a lot of the Team Magma and Team Aqua grunts, so rest assured that there won’t be any crisis of that level anymore,” May replied. “If we hear about either team stirring up trouble again, I’ll be the first to investigate!”
“One final question from the press?” the emcee announced. “Going once, going twice—”
“I’ll take the final question, then!” a woman who didn’t look that much older than May said as she raised her hand. She sat right in the front row, and I’ve been seeing her write on her notebook the entire time.
“Yes, I’m Mira from KRBN,” the woman said as she was handed the microphone. “Steven Stone was an excellent Champion with regards to promoting the Hoenn League overseas as well as advocating for trainers to have a better work-life balance. All around the world, there are several Champions who are also pushing their own agendas and advocacies. As Champion, what types of agendas will you push for, and how will you differentiate yourself from more established names such as Sinnoh’s Cynthia and Galar’s Leon?”
I figured she would have the longest question out of everyone with all the notes she was taking, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so difficult. And I could sense that May was unprepared for the question as well.
“Well, uhmm, that’s a very good question, Ms. Mira,” I heard her start, but I could see her run her hand behind her neck, which she always did when she was more nervous than usual. After a few moments of silence, I stepped forward and grabbed one of her hands with my paw. When she looked at me, I gave her a small nod and a low growl, telling her that she could do it.
May gave a nod in approval, turned back to the audience and said, “I’d continue Mr. Steven’s work in pushing for the Hoenn League’s global promotion, but I’d also strive to promote more facilities, or even create new ones, that would allow trainers to spend more time with their Pokemon.” She then motioned me to move forward, put her hand on my head, and said, “Because really, with Pokemon like Splash, I think we all deserve more ways to enjoy our journeys with them, don’t you think?”
I could hear a lot of murmuring after that, and Ms. Mira was taking down notes faster than I thought was possible. It was a really good answer, and I do hope May finds more facilities where we can spend some time together. Maybe a water park where we could swim around with other Water Pokemon!
“That’s it for this press conference,” I heard the emcee say as the murmurs started to quiet down. “Thank you everyone for your time, and please give a round of applause to the new Champion of the Hoenn League, May!”
When I was called out of the Poke Ball, May greeted me and directed me to look at a red-and-white building. I recognized the city as Slateport—May enjoyed participating in some contests here a while ago—but I never noticed this building. It had a huge image of Crawdaunt at the center, but looking more refined rather than menacing. Around it, there were little Corphish that looked just as fancy.
“Here we are, Splash,” I heard her say. “Cafe Crawdaunt. One of the newest and fanciest restaurants in all of Hoenn. I wonder who we’ll be having dinner with?”
I turned my head slightly. I didn’t have any ideas at all, but I hope it was someone who didn’t ask tough questions or make May feel too uncomfortable. As much as I liked how quiet and calm dinners were, May still did a lot of talking and answering questions.
“I guess there’s just one way to find out, eh?” she said as she grabbed the large, golden handle to open the door.
We were greeted by a huge, golden hall filled with several tables that already had well-dressed customers. Waiters whose outfits reminded me of Crawdaunt were walking around holding up trays filled with different types of seafood, which made me very excited. If there’s one thing I loved about all the private dinners we’ve been attending, it’s the different seafood I’ve gotten to eat!
“Ah, Ms. May!” we heard the receptionist call out. “It’s a pleasure to have you this evening, Champion.”
“The pleasure’s all mine!” May replied as she approached him. “There’s supposed to be a reservation under someone who’s expecting me.”
“Indeed, Ms. May,” he said as he called for one of the nearby waiters. “Please follow Kyle as he’ll lead you to your seat. Have a good dinner!”
Kyle bowed as he motioned us to follow him. He led us through the entire hall, and I could overhear a lot of the customers whispering about us among each other.
“Isn’t that the new Champion?”
“She looks much younger in person than on TV!”
“Do you think we can take a photo later?”
“See! I told you you should start with Mudkip!”
Yes; I think it’s because of the makeup; No; and You absolutely should.
Kyle then pressed a few buttons that opened up a door into a large elevator, the widest I’ve ever seen. May didn’t even have to return me to my Poke Ball, there was still room for several people, or even another Swampert.
“Right this way, ma’am,” the waiter said.
After May and I entered the elevator, Kyle followed us and pressed the button for the third floor. It didn’t even look like the building had a third floor from the outside, so this was even fancier than I thought it would be!
“This place is crazy,” May whispered to me, to which I growled in agreement.
A few moments later, the door opened to another wide hall, but this time there were no tables to be seen. There were just several other rooms surrounding the halls, with only two of them being occupied.
Kyle led us to one of those rooms before saying, “Your seat in this room, Ms. May. I hope you have a pleasant dinner.”
“Thank you, Kyle,” May said as he took a final bow and walked back to the elevator.
“So,” she started as the elevator doors closed, “whoever this person is must be someone really important if they were able to book this private room. You excited?”
I growled, unsure of what to answer. On one hand, I was excited to eat a lot of expensive seafood again. On the other, it felt nervewracking that we didn’t know who this person was, and that even Mr. Steven didn’t want to tell us.
“Me too,” May said as she gave me a quick neck rub. “Well, only one way to find out!”
She opened the door, and what greeted us was a huge surprise.
Near the end of the room was a tall, blonde-haired woman dressed in all black. She was brushing the skin of her Pokemon, a huge purple dragon that I’ve only ever seen when May was watching exhibition matches on TV. It only took me a few moments to connect that whenever I saw the Garchomp on TV, it was being commanded by the very woman in the room, which meant that this was…
“Ms. Cynthia!” May exclaimed. “Wow, I didn’t expect you to be here so early! Our exhibition match isn’t until Saturday!”
That’s right, it was Ms. Cynthia, the Champion of the Sinnoh League. I’ve heard her name from Mr. Steven several times, and I remember the last reporter mentioning her name in the last question earlier today. May had an exhibition match with her in a couple of days, which made May both excited and nervous when she heard about the news.
She must be a very powerful trainer, then. And if she really was the person we saw on TV, then that Garchomp of hers must be one of the strongest Pokemon in the world.
“Ah, it’s very nice to finally meet you, May,” she said as she walked over and shook May’s hand. “And you too, Splash,” she said as she bent down to me and extended her hand. I immediately growled and touched her hand with my paw. This might be the first time I’ve seen her in person, but she’s one of very few people who’s ever called me by my name, which means she was a very good trainer!
She then led us to the wide table at the center of the room, which only had two seats. As Ms. Cynthia sat down, her Garchomp walked behind her and took a seat, her head resting near Ms. Cynthia’s shoulder. The table already had several courses laid out, all different kinds of seafood with lots of colors. They all smelled delicious!
“I hear Splash likes eating seafood, and Sandy here won’t say no to trying new cuisines, so I ordered the seafood course for both of us,” Ms. Cynthia said as May sat down and looked around the table. “I also asked the waiter to already serve everything so that we wouldn’t be interrupted.”
“That’s a relief,” May said almost automatically, which surprised me. “I mean, it’s a relief in that we have seafood! You’re right that Splash always looks forward to them during our lunch and dinner meetings.”
I nod in agreement as I started to nibble on the plate right in front of me, which tasted very delicious!
“I didn’t expect to see you so soon, Ms. Cynthia!” said May as she filled her plate. “Our exhibition match isn’t for a couple more days!”
“I always want to arrive a few days earlier if I’m traveling to another region for official business,” said Cynthia with a smile. “It gives me the opportunity to do some exploring and meet up with people I want to meet up. Plus, it’s always much calmer before an event than after.”
“You got that right,” May said, and I was surprised at how forward she was being about the situation. She never ranted about it to anyone other than her family, Mr. Steven, and her Pokemon.
“I mean, uhmm, I observed that too from experience,” May said quickly. “Like, the press never seem to bother you before an event. But once it’s done, they’ll take any chance to get more soundbites from you!”
Cynthia giggled in reply. “So, how have you been?”
“It’s been great,” May replied. “I’ve been enjoying being Champion. It’s been a dream come true!”
Cynthia’s expression then changed from being pleasant to being worried. “Are you sure?”
May was shocked at the question, and so was I. “Huh?” I heard her say.
“Well, are you sure that it’s all been good?” Cynthia said. “No complaints from your end?”
Yes, I wanted to say, while I finished up my first plate and moved to a second. We’ve been so busy that we haven’t had time to breathe! Day in and day out it’s been entirely scheduled, and the only time we’ve had a chance to relax is when we’re inside a hotel room, which is never long or frequent enough.
“Not at all!” May said with a smile. “I mean, it’s been really busy with all the press conferences and interviews I’ve had to do, but other than that, we’re fine.”
I wanted to protest, but I knew May wouldn’t like it if I gave the pressure away to someone we just met, and moreso someone that May idolized. But it didn’t look like Ms. Cynthia was satisfied with the answer, which made me hopeful.
“May, being really busy isn’t a small issue,” Ms. Cynthia said. “Take it from me. When I first became Champion many years ago, I spent weeks doing nothing but media interviews and press conferences. The only battles I got to do were exhibition matches, and while those were exciting, the interviews that came afterwards dampened the mood. Sound familiar?”
May was listening very intently to Ms. Cynthia when I moved on to my third plate. I hoped we had more dinners at Cafe Crawdaunt in the future, because their food was very tasty!
“May, the reason why I wanted to meet up with you before our match was to check on you and see if you’re adjusting to your new role well,” Ms. Cynthia continued. “When Steven called me up and asked me to talk to you, I immediately agreed.”
Wait, Mr. Steven wanted Ms. Cynthia to talk to us? Is that why he wanted to keep it a secret? But it’s exactly the kind of conversation May needs right now!
“What? He didn’t have to!” May said, letting out a giggle that I’m pretty sure was forced. “I really appreciate your concern, Ms. Cynthia. But I’m fine.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I returned my fourth plate and let out a loud roar, startling both trainers and even Ms. Cynthia’s Garchomp, who had been silently nibbling on different plates at the same time.
“It looks like Splash doesn’t agree. Am I right, Splash?”
I nodded furiously. I’ve seen May work so hard these past few days (weeks?), and I want her to take a break. And if it takes Ms. Cynthia telling her for that to happen, then so be it.
“Splash…” May began. “Hey, Splash, are you worried about me?”
I nodded even harder. Of course I was worried about her! Every day she tells me how drained she feels after all the events she has to attend. Every night before we sleep she tells me how she wishes we were traveling again and that we’ll go on another journey soon enough. I want her to be happy, and all the interviews and events aren’t making her happy!
“I think what he’s trying to say is that you shouldn’t overwork yourself,” Ms. Cynthia chimed in, to which I growled in agreement. “Fulfilling your duties as Champion is important, but that shouldn’t come at the cost of your well-being.”
“But how?” May said, and I noticed her voice was much less lively. “I mean, I know I should be taking it easy and getting breaks, but it’s not like I can control my schedule. I always need to be somewhere, answering the same questions and giving the same demonstrations. What can I do?”
I looked to Ms. Cynthia for an answer. It was something I’ve thought for a long time, but I couldn’t think of anything other than telling Mr. Steven that she didn’t want to be Champion anymore, which I know wasn’t an option for May.
“Well, have you talked to the League officials about it?” asked Ms. Cynthia.
“I’ve mentioned it to a few people, but all they told me was that I’ll get used to it eventually,” May replied. “And I have, but it doesn’t change the fact that Splash and I are tired all the time.”
“Then I can set a meeting with the Hoenn League discussing the matter,” said Ms. Cynthia. “I’ll propose that you have at least one day a week where you don’t have any booked interviews or events. That day might vary, but it’s something that they have to uphold when they’re setting up the schedule for your week.
“R-really?” May said, shocked. “And they’ll listen to you?”
“I don’t see why not,” said Ms. Cynthia with a smile. “I can tell them how I arrived at the same agreement with the Sinnoh League. And I’ll ask Steven to attend as well so that he can give more input. If they won’t listen to one Champion, they won’t be able to ignore two.”
“Th-thanks, Ms. Cynthia,” May said. “I really appreciate what you and Mr. Steven are doing.”
“Well, there’s one more thing Steven and I talked about that I think would make the rest of your week a bit easier,” Ms. Cynthia said.
I had just finished my fifth plate when I heard that, which made me curious at what Ms. Cynthia had in mind. I was already getting full, but there were still a few more plates I wanted to try!
“When’s our exhibition match scheduled for?” Ms. Cynthia asked.
“This Saturday,” May said. “Three days from now.”
“How would you like to have your Saturday off?”
Both May’s eyes and mine widened at the idea. “What did you have in mind?” she asked.
“Well, what if the visiting Champion suddenly had to cancel her appearance because of an important meeting?” Ms. Cynthia replied with a smile. “And what if she insisted that the exhibition match happen the day after, because she would have to spend the whole Saturday in the meeting and she was flying back to Sinnoh on Monday?”
“Y-you can do that?” May asked, and I could almost see tears forming in her eyes.
“I’m sure I’ll be getting a few complaints about it, but I’ll pull it off,” said Ms. Cynthia. “I can get a few friends of mine to vouch for the important meeting, too.”
“Th-that’s…” May said as she wiped her eyes. I immediately stopped eating my sixth—and final—plate and leaned my head onto her. I was only expecting a few neck rubs, but she gave me a full hug!
“Did you hear that, Splash?” she told me. “We’re finally gonna get the day off we’ve been waiting for!”
I growled happily. It’s been a while since I saw May smile like that.
I swam around the area, going as nice and slow as possible. Below me, a school of Luvdisc were passing through, their heart-shaped scales shining brightly. I could also see a few Corsola who were slowly drifting through the seafloor, and some Magikarp who were swimming with them. Above me, a flock of Wingull were chirping loudly, with a larger than usual Pelipper leading the charge. Around me, some Tentacool were floating close to the surface.
On the shore I saw May, who had taken out a seat and an umbrella from the secret base and had lounged outside it. May had always wanted her secret base to be as remote as possible, and when she found this very small islet several kilometers away from Sootopolis, she decided it was the perfect location to set up her base.
The last time we visited the base, we were preparing to go through Victory Road, so it’s been a couple of months. But now more than ever, the isolation offered by the base was just what we needed.
As I swam back to the base, May waved at me and motioned me to stay with her near the shore. When I sat beside her, she gave me a long neck rub, like she used to after we’ve set camp for the night in our journey.
“Thanks for telling Ms. Cynthia that I needed this day off, Splash,” she told me, and I growled in reply.
She didn’t say anything else as the Wingull continued chirping above us. As much as I liked seeing everyone gush over May and recognize her for how amazing she is, this was just what we both needed.
