Alice sat nervously, cross legged beside the arena gently folding a piece of paper in her hand. She had drawn number four, that meant once the first match ended, she and Celia would be thrown into the ring and forced to fight until one Pokemon remained standing. Alice had been reluctant about the idea of joining a tournament, she knew that the practical application of battling was her weak point, but she also knew that she really didn't have much of a choice. With the price of boat tickets, the hotel she had been staying in over the last couple of weeks and food, her pockets were beginning to run dry. This tournament had a small prize pot and if she won, then she would probably have enough to get out of the city and start traveling the country. The idea excited her greatly and a small smile crept onto her lips.

"Not long now Celia sweetheart." She beamed, unclipping the Pokeball from her belt and rolling it around the palm of her hand. the concept of battling made Alice nervous. It was a violent idea, revolving around making quick decisions based off of facts and instincts under pressured situations. [i]Chapter one: The most fundamental basics of Pokemon battling are easily explained...[/i] She began to recite by heart. It was the opening chapter of her favourite Pokemon theory book. Reciting simple facts helped to calm her nerves, to focus her. She closed her eyes and began repeating important lines from the text silently to herself, mouthing along with the words. Under no circumstances was she prepared for the upcoming battle, but she was certainly ready to try. She knew that Celia was raring to go, she always was. All she needed to do was match her Pokemon's enthusiasm.