AU Fic: Reaching For The Sky
AHHHH!!! I JUST COMPLETED A BLACKOUT AU BINGO!!! Here's the last fic, hope y'all enjoy!
Reaching For The Sky
written for au_bingo, prompt: WILDCARD (Alt. Fandom: anime)
fandom: american idol; pairing: david cook/ david archuleta; rating: pg-13; approximately 1,730 words
Disclaimer: This fiction may contain real people but none of the occurrences written here are real. The entire story is made up based on the author's imagination only and for non-profitable purpose. The Pokémon mentioned in this fic are owned by Pokémon franchise.
A/N:
- This is AU, not beta'ed as usual, please expect tons of mistakes.
- This is more like a crossover between 'American Idol' and 'Pokémon' (anime: Diamond and Pearl seasons). Knowledge in Pokémon isn't really necessary but is recommended (specifically fourth generation) but you don't have to be familiar with the Pokémon and their battle moves used in this fic to understand the story.
- Anyone familiar with Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl may notice that this fic is patterned after the confrontations between Ash and Paul because I likewise ship those two characters (comashipping at its best!)
- The title of this story comes from the lyrics of the Sinnoh League Victors Theme
My AU Bingo card
Cook had been traveling for years, been to several islands and four regions - Sinnoh being his fourth - but he had never met anyone quite like Archie.
There was an air about his undeniably charming rival that Cook couldn't put his finger on. Maybe it was Archie's wit in gym battles, even in the leagues. Maybe it was Archie's humility that somehow drilled into Cook's nerves. Maybe it was Archie's sheer talent or maybe… maybe it was Archie's gentle, caring way of dealing with his Pokémon.
Whatever it was, Cook found himself drawn to Archie.
Oftentimes, Cook would sneak into trainers' gyms or battle fields, staying hidden on the farthest corner of the bleachers, just to watch Archie in action. Cook seemed to find pleasure in hearing the authority in Archie's voice mixed with a hint of confidence and trust on his Pokémon every time Archie called for an attack. He also found Archie's every move alluring.
"Are you actually studying his technique or are you observing his body language?" Andrew asked, slicing through Cook's intense concentration.
"Shut up," Cook snapped without taking his eyes off of Archie.
"He accepted the challenge you know." The teasing, singsong way Andrew spoke was starting to get under Cook's skin but before he could chide his brother, the words sunk into Cook's preoccupied mind.
"He what?"
The smile that stretched across Andrew's face seemed to conniving. "He agreed to a battle against you in Lake Acuity. We head there in two days."
"Very well." Cook struggled to keep the impassive expression, despite the fact that his heartbeat was racing. The thought of going head to head with Archie - again - made him feel utterly excited.
*
The weather was perfect when Cook and Andrew arrived at Lake Acuity. Archie and his friends weren't around yet. Cook took advantage of Archie's absence and started practicing with his Pokémon, having already decided his line up.
Cook was proud at how well his Pokémon had improved in terms of their battle skills. He kept on pushing them harder so they would become stronger, making him a formidable opponent.
Andrew was the one who sought out a battlefield they may use and had Archie meet them at the lake front.
When Archie finally arrived, Cook felt his blood surging through his veins. He still couldn't figure out why he had this same reaction every single time he was around Archie.
Johns was the officiating referee, reminding them that this was a full, six-on-six battle. Archie won the coin toss, earning the privilege to pick his first Pokémon and he chose Buizel. Cook decided that Torterra should go up against him.
The battle was about to start, but Cook was perplexed when Archie recalled Buizel, apologizing to the Pokémon when he was placed back into his Poké Ball. Cook suddenly had a fleeting image of himself doing the same thing during his battle with Taylor when he didn't like the type match-up.
Pretty much used to Archie's unpredictability, Cook wasn't surprised that Archie called for Gliscor instead. Good choice. Good choice.
"You do remember Gliscor, don't you, Cook?" Archie wore an easy smile, one that Cook was certain would light up an entire battlefield should it have been dark. "You met him once when it was still a Gligar."
Cook chose to remain silent, knowing that jumping into a conversation with Archie would be the greatest mistake he could make.
The battle commenced and as it progressed, it became more like a mind-to-mind battle, with Cook able to read Archie's next move and Archie seemed to sense Cook's thoughts.
When Archie sent Chimchar out on the field, Cook was appalled, seeing that the Pokémon he had abandoned had grown stronger. Archie's guidance seemed to have shaped Chimchar to his potential. What made Cook twice as stunned was when Chimchar actually evolved into Monferno right in the middle of a battle.
Cook was amazed by Archie's strategies, amazed how Archie had taught his Pokémon moves that other trainers wouldn't have imagined, even in their dreams. He secretly made a mental note of everything he observed from this match.
In the end, Johns ruled Archie's Monferno unable to battle, leaving Archie with no Pokémon left. Cook won the match but Archie left Lake Acuity with a smile on his face.
"Until our next battle, Cook."
*
They met again at the Sinnoh League, both Archie and Cook progressed through the initial rounds of the Lily of the Valley Conference. Archie won against Aaron, earning him a spot on the next round. Cook, on the other hand, beat Lee after a grueling match and Cook advanced onwards, only to find out that his next battle would be against Archie.
Cook wished Andrew was around, but his brother had a job and Cook knew he was on his own now. After a brief conversation with Andrew through a video conference, Cook ran into one of Archie's friends Jordin with Piplup cradled in her arms.
"So where is Archie?" Cook asked, not that he was interested to know. Really, he wasn't.
"He's out practicing with Jason and Aaron," Jordin said, her eyes twinkling. "Do you want me to get him?"
"No need." Cook so didn't want to see Archie before a battle. It would surely mess up with his head.
Fate seemed to be toying with Cook though because when they stepped out of the center, he saw Archie and his friends strutting down the path.
"Hey Cook!" Archie sounded cheery, too cheery for Cook's sanity. "I'm so excited for our battle. Are you excited?"
"Ecstatic," Cook said flatly. He shouldn't be doing this, making small talk. But Archie seemed like a magnet and Cook found himself gravitating toward his rival.
"I bet you're all ready and eager to start." The smile that sat on Archie's lips was starting to make Cook feel strangely dizzy.
"I love to stay and chat but I have some practice to do," Cook said, not wanting to lose his bearings before a match.
Cook started to walk away but before he could get out of earshot, he heard Jordin say, "When one life meets another life, something will be born."
"What's that supposed to mean?" came Aaron's voice.
"Wasn't that what Carrie said about Archie and Cook?" Jason asked and Cook did recall when he heard the Champion, Carrie, said something along those lines.
"So when Archie meets Cook, something will be born. I wonder what that something is," Jordin mused.
Cook thought he had heard enough nonsense and continued his way down the path, clearing his mind of things that could cause him to lose focus… chasing thoughts of Archie out of his mind.
*
Archie chose Pikachu to start with while Cook used Aggron first. This reminded him of their battle back at Lake Acuity.
Cook was at an advantage, using Aggron's Flash Cannon to send Pikachu tumbling backwards and forcing Archie to recall his favorite Pokémon and send out his next: Infernape.
So, Monferno had yet evolved to Infernape, Cook realized. Using the same moves he did with Pikachu, Cook ordered Aggron to use Flash Cannon but Infernape landed a Mach Punch, sending Aggron against the wall and was soon deemed unable to battle.
The next Pokémon Cook chose was Gastrodon and Archie called back Infernape, sending Staraptor in his place. Cook came upon a realization that Archie was using the same line up he did during their battle at Lake Acuity and he couldn't believe how predictable his cute (wait, did Cook actually call Archie 'cute'?) opponent was.
Determination burned through Cook even as he saw his Pokémon defeated one after the other. He had to beat Archie, he just had to.
They were left with one Pokémon each: Cook's Electivire and Archie's Infernape. The two Pokémon battled not only with their strengths but with ardent will and determination.
Cook felt connected with Electivire somehow and Archie seemed connected with Infernape. Both Pokémon had grown weak and Cook began to worry about Electivire, wondering if his Pokémon could still withstand any attack from Infernape.
It caught Cook by surprise when Archie called for Infernape's most powerful attack, one that Cook couldn't even infuse on the Pokémon when he was still a Chimchar and was residing in a Poké Ball in Cook's pocket.
Infernape hit Electivire with Blaze, causing Electivire to fall and unable to battle.
Archie won the match.
*
Cook found no need to stick around so he packed his things and planned to set out on his next journey, maybe even challenge Taylor to another match. He was marching down the steps from the Center when he heard Archie calling out his name.
"Cook! Are you leaving?"
"There's no need for me to stay. Congratulations, by the way." Somehow, Cook didn't feel bitter about his loss to Archie, unlike how he felt whenever he lost to other trainers.
"Thanks." There was a glint of sadness that flickered in Archie's eyes. "But aren't you going to stay and watch me battle Alaina?"
Something in Cook's chest unfurled. "Do you want me to stay?"
"Yes!" Archie's face seemed to light up at the prospect of Cook not leaving.
"Give me at least one good reason why I should." Cook had to know, had to see if he was reading Archie correctly.
Archie took the last few steps down until he was standing right before Cook. He pushed himself up to his toes and planted a gentle kiss on Cook's lips.
Cook didn't bother to resist the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Okay. I'll stay."
*
Jordin, Jason, Aaron and Pikachu were all looking for Archie, wondering where their friend could have gone.
"The last time I saw him, he was running after Cook," Jason said, scratching his head.
"Pika, pika. Pika, pi," Pikachu offered although the three hardly understood a word.
They ran into Carrie, the Champion, who smiled and told them to congratulate Archie in her behalf. Jordin was coerced by her own curiosity to ask, "Um… Carrie? What did you mean when you said when one life meets another life, something will be born?"
Carrie offered a warm smile and said, "It means that even though Archie and Cook are two different people, they are the same in so many ways. They probably will never realize that the more they challenge each other, the more their bond becomes stronger."
~fin~