ã€ŠReturn From Hisuiã€‹


 001 Departure

    The Sinnoh Temple is still a ruin. That¡¯s no surprise. Nobody here has the time to bother fixing it, not even the Galaxy Expedition Team. They have their hands full with Jubilife Village. A village I know to become a sprawling city in 200 years or so. Probably less. I know because I remember the old street sign from a School trip. A two-week vacation to prepare us for our first attempt at the circuit. I was almost eleven years old when I tried for the badges. It was also 180 years in the future.

    I reach around my back to the innocuous pack resting on the small of my back. It sits snugly on the hardy blue cloth I am wearing, the logo of the Galaxy Expedition Team on my shoulder. My hand finds the old flute. There is something distinctly magical about it. The azure shell has grown into just the right shape to produce the most wonderful music. There is no sign of a tool on it. Only the red mouthpiece was added later on. Nostalgia wells up in my heart as I play the ancient melody. It rolls down the snowy mountainside reaching into the windswept valley. Maybe one of the villagers hears it even across this distance. Oreburgh¡¯s first buildings are probably close enough.

    I play the last note and slowly let the flute sink. My eyes open to a familiar staircase. I have been up here a lot. The first time, when Arceus called me after I pushed back Giratina. The second time, when I had found every species of Pok¨¦mon currently living in Hisui. No. Sinnoh. We already decided to call this region Sinnoh. After that, I made sure to visit regularly.

    I take my time climbing the steps. I always was more of a timid girl, preferring grass types and generally cuddly Pok¨¦mon. Until I was dragged back out of my comfy bedroom straight into this hell. That¡¯s what I had called it back then. Seriously, you try living without running water and electricity. At least Arceus somehow made my phone never lose any charge. Took me a while to figure out how that one worked.

    Even though my steps should bring me nowhere near the clouds, I slowly eclipse them. It does not matter how fast you climb this staircase. As long as you keep going, you will always climb at the same speed. The sky turns dark, the stars slowly fading. New ones pop up just to quickly give way for another set. Sometimes there are enough to form galaxies, other times large spots are completely empty. I feel time and space shift around me as I leave the mortal world and step into Arceus¡¯ realm.

    The creator. The one. The only. The most powerful. That¡¯s what everyone taught me, back in the future. Now that I met them, I know they are just a person. Not that any of that other stuff is wrong, it¡¯s just¡­ beneath all of that¡­ Arceus-stuff, they simply want to find happiness. Like everyone else. Which is why, when I asked to go back forwards in time to see my family, they didn¡¯t tell me no. They told me why it was impossible.

    I was too frail.

    It sucked. It sucked bad enough I had cursed. But of course, they were right. My soul was strained after the first journey through space-time. After only half a year of working to save the world, I was far from ready to try again. Mostly, because it had left a lingering effect: I had not aged a single day since I came to Hisui.

    But Arceus also told me how I could go back. They would reinforce the effect of my involuntary journey and give me something to reinforce my soul. To fix the damage the first time had done. Heh.

    I snort. Even the judging stare of the creator can¡¯t stop my mirth. I know they were always like that. It¡¯s impossible to see their emotion on their face. They can¡¯t move their mouth like that, after all. The slight jitter in their left back leg lets me read their amusement.

    ¡°Hey, buddy¡±, I say.

    Arceus lowers their head, only by a fraction.

    ¡°I came to return this,¡± I wave the Azure Flute, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need it.¡±

    They shift and suddenly stand in front of me. The flute shimmers at the touch of Arceus¡¯ knee and disappears from my hands. The creator is back to their original position moments later.

    Only the tiny shift in the angle of their head warns me. I fall into a stance, arms close to my body one hand extended. My legs bend at the knees to give me a more stable stance. Not a moment too early as an orb of light pulses above Arceus¡¯ head. It¡¯s yellow. Electric. I pull on the object fused to my soul. The Legend Plate reacts to my will and brings forth Ground Type Energy. I smile as yellow beams push into my body, small streaks of lightning running along my limbs. They can¡¯t harm me.

    When the light abates, panic rushes into me. A second much smaller orb has formed in front of Arceus¡¯ mouth. I shoot to the side in a burst of lightning. The remaining Electric TE running over my limbs is just enough to channel into a quick Volt Switch. Only I have no Pok¨¦mon to switch with. This is a one-on-one battle.

    The Electric TE from Judgement runs out, used up by my move. Before another Ice Beam can hit me, I push all the Ground TE into¡­ well, the ground. It¡¯s a bad idea to make moving around more difficult when I can¡¯t hope to match my opponent in strength, so I channel it in a small location. Earth Power rips apart the ethereal runes making up the floor of this strange dimension. I grin as Arceus is hit, legs stumbling in the gaps. That grin quickly vanishes when They turn green and vines lash out from the ring around their chest.

    I stumble back, pulling a new batch of energy from the Legend Plate. The decision is simple. Red blooms as heat rises around me. I push it forward in a cone, flames sprouting from my fingers to burn the vines. I¡¯m on the move when a wave of water threatens to run me over. Rather than trying to burn more Fire TE into the Flamethrower, I channel it into a Burn Out.

    As steam billows all over the pocket dimension and the remainders of Surf roll around my feet, I get ready to strike back. Normal TE flows through my arms and legs and I disappear into an Extreme Speed. Before Arceus can react, I punch into their side. A crash resounds as they are pushed back.

    Their colour flicker to brown as they turn to face me. Their legs rise up into the beginnings of what I know to be a Close Combat. Not something I want to take to the face. But I was prepared for that. It¡¯s not my first rodeo, after all. My Normal TE is already burned out and Flying TE rises to replace it. I Bounce out of the way of the Close Combat, only being clipped in my left foot. I wince as I go up high into the air. Or above the ground, at least. There isn¡¯t really air here.

    Arceus eyes me as I rise. Even with the slight delay in their movements, I can see the smirk in their stance. Oh no. That, is Rock TE. I try my best to cancel Bounce but of course, it doesn¡¯t work. The TE was already invested. It now shoots me straight onto a collision course with what can only be a Rock Throw. My foot blossoms in pain as I feel the energy invading my body and stealing my stamina.

    I wince but I pull through. My good foot slams onto Arceus'' back. Before I can see if I did any damage, my heart turns to steel. Well, no, it¡¯s my head that does the turning. But I still smirk at my joke as my Iron Head rams into their side, further upending their balance.

    I know I have this when their body shifts to the dark blue of Ghost TE and they disappear. I run my remaining Steel TE into a quick shield as they take their time to appear. This will most likely be a Shadow Force. It¡¯s far too slow for a Shadow Sneak. I¡¯m disappointed when the strike to my back is far weaker than it should be. Phantom Force? Really? I already have the advantage!

    When I turn around, my disappointment turns into fear. Why are you perfectly healthy? The remaining Psychic TE gives me the answer. They used Lunar Blessing mid Phantom Force. No wonder Arceus didn¡¯t have time to channel a full Shadow Force.

    I take a few steps back as the fight pauses. There is an air of superiority around my opponents that I can only grin at.

    ¡°Think you won this? I¡¯m still running the best defence. You only got one type left to hit me neutrally with.¡±

    They incline their head.

    ¡°And yet, I win,¡± is what I can only read for a moment before a Dark Pulse impacts my back. Before I can catch my stumble, a second one rams my side, then a third pushes straight out of the ground and throws me through the air.

    I scream in pain, the horrible aura of evil dominating my thoughts. When I land, I notice my Steel TE is nearly empty. When I come to, I see a burning blue meteor falling from the sky. With an eye-roll, I pull off another Iron Defence before dragging on the last dregs inside me. A pink glow envelops me and I feel like giggling as the Draco Meteor impacts me, doing nothing more than ruffling my hair and clothes.

    I stand up to unleash my very own Dazzling Gleam only to see Arceus already changed to a dark purple. With extra effort, I push all the Fairy TE into my attack, overloading it. The energy coalesces into my attack, threatening to throw it off course. I clench my teeth and keep a tight leash on it.

    The pink wave of love and attention rams into Arceus, barely staggering them. I had done something. Just¡­ not as much as I had hoped. They are at maybe half their power. Half of what they brought forth whenever we sparred. A grin spreads on my face.

    The Sludge Bomb hits me straight in the face and I splutter. Bug TE rises in one last effort from my Legend Plate but I don¡¯t have enough stamina for a Bug Buzz. Instead, I send out a Silver Wind. Just barely, my attack lands before the second Sludge Bomb rains down on me. I feel the last of my stamina leave me and everything turns black. As I fall unconscious, one thought dominates my mind: I did it!

    <hr>

    I come to a few minutes later, judging by the still dissolving sludge around me. Arceus is standing over me, concern in their posture. I smile broadly and give an exhausted wave. They return to their relaxed superiority and nod curtly.

    I flinch when I feel their mind touch mine. Arceus is simply too large to communicate through telepathy. At least without giving me a headache. But it seems this was important enough.

    ¡°You have grown much, Zoe¡±, they say, ¡°More than I ever foresaw.¡±

    I rub the back of my head, smearing gunk into my platinum-blonde hair.

    ¡°Thanks!,¡± I grin.

    ¡°I¡­ believe you are ready.¡±

    I giggle, which turns into a full-blown laugh. It takes me a minute to calm down in which Arceus watches me carefully. They aren¡¯t really used to expressing emotions but who can fault them? They have nobody to express those emotions towards, most of the time.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s great,¡± I finally manage between deep breaths, ¡°20 years¡­ And I still look like 15. Guess at least my parents won¡¯t freak out.¡±

    Arceus nods.

    ¡°So, how does this work?¡±

    ¡°There are several methods you may use. I¡­ recommend talking to my subordinates. They will make the journey much smoother than I ever could.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±, I ask, ¡°Are you like¡­ too strong, or something?¡±

    I see a hint of embarrassment in the shift of their forelegs.

    ¡°I¡­ am. Imagine trying to fit a thread into a needle¡¯s ear but you have to use a hammer and tongs.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That makes a lot of sense, actually.¡±

    Their head tilts towards me, still lying on the ground.

    ¡°You appear much less mature than in recent times, Zoe,¡± they say, ¡°May I ask why?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Oh, this?¡±, I wave my arms and legs through the poisonous gunk. Arceus¡¯ energy makes it completely inert at the slightest exertion of their will but it¡¯s still good for mud angels.

    ¡°I just thought¡­ I no longer have to be all serious, right? I can finally be a kid again.¡±

    ¡°I see. Do what you enjoy.¡±

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll do what I enjoy!¡±

    I grinned as the last remains of the Sludge Bombs finally fizzle out of reality. As real as this place is, at least. I sit back up and reach for my back. The pack is still there, undamaged just like my clothes. I pull out a simple handmade Pok¨¦ Ball and flip the lock. A copy of the being in front of me appears in a red-and-white beam of light. The two Arceus look at each other for a moment, then they are one.

    ¡°Thank you, Zoe,¡± the remainder says.

    ¡°Of course. Just as promised. You¡¯ll need to find yourself a new buddy to show you around modern times.¡±

    They nodded at my grin.

    ¡°I will, if I feel so inclined.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I stand up, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll be on my way, then?¡±

    Arceus nods. I walk up and hug them around their front. The centaur-like body shifts to accommodate me and their head sinks down to press into my hair.

    ¡°Thanks for everything,¡± I say, ¡°Even despite¡­ you know.¡±

    ¡°I am grateful for you putting up with my selfishness. Thank you, Zoe. Savour the rest of your life, wherever it may take you.¡±

    I smirk as I pull off them.

    ¡°You already know, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Of course, they give me nothing. Was there a parallel version of me that never managed to go back to the future? Or one that didn¡¯t even try? I can¡¯t help but think that I¡¯d always try. At least to get back to my family.

    ¡°Farewell!¡±, I wave as they disconnect their mind. The sudden ease of my thoughts makes it obvious they would come with me if we never met again, so I smile as I leave the realm of the creator.

    My steps carry me back to Spear Pillar. The shattered temple to Arceus still stands grand, even with its glory cut off. I cringe a little as I remember the events leading to it. Palkia made me catch them so we could fight off Dialga. Of course, the guardians of space and time would destroy an ancient piece of history even if they were just tiny parts of their full selves.

    I reach the end of the white marble platform and look down the stairs. The two offenders stand there, their full selves of this world having spent nearly two decades by my side. Granted, that¡¯s not much for immortal beings, but still.

    Behind them, I can see an all too familiar man in a lab coat with a purple beanie covering his balding head. Next to him stands another of my close friends, an energetic woman in her mid-thirties wearing the standard garb of the Survey Corps. Her black hair is bound by a triangular piece of white cloth. She stands with the casual ease of a skilled fighter. Or Pok¨¦mon trainer, I guess. That¡¯s what I should start calling them again. The term is only just starting to take hold in early Sinnoh.

    The two are Professor Laventon, the old man that picked me up when I fell out of the sky, and Akari, the friend that helped me get started in the Survey Corps. Despite his increasing age, Laventon has found some incredible confidence, even starting to train his own personal Pok¨¦mon to travel across Hi ¨C Sinnoh.

    I call out a ¡°Hello¡± as I walk down the stairs. Palkia and Dialga rumble an answer while Laventon gives a shivering nod. Akari smiles and waves.

    ¡°So, did it work this time?¡±, she asks.

    I try to restrain my glee. It¡¯s not too difficult. After all, I won¡¯t see her ever again. This is a farewell as much as it is a return home.

    ¡°It did,¡± I say, ¡°I¡¯m strong enough.¡±

    Her smile turns as sad as I feel. Tears well up in my eyes and I suppress a sniffle.

    ¡°Ah, come on,¡± Akari says. Her voice cracks as she hugs me.

    For a few minutes, we just stand there, crying until our tears run out. Still, smiles cover our faces as we separate.

    ¡°Stay strong, girl,¡± she says with a pat on my shoulder, ¡°And don¡¯t follow strangers tempting you with candy.¡±

    My mouth stands agape. Normal TE rushes into my legs and before she can react I Extreme Speed behind her and slap the back of her head.

    ¡°Akari!¡±, I shout, ¡°That¡¯s my line! I was the one to teach it to you!¡±

    She laughs, Laventon and the two Pok¨¦mon next to us joining in. I give her another hug, from behind this time, before turning to the Professor.

    ¡°Thank you for all your help, Professor Laventon,¡± I say, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be where I am today without you.¡±

    The man shakes his head.

    ¡°No, no. I have to thank you. Without your help, we would have never finished the Hisui-Pok¨¦dex in my lifetime. And all the other things you¡¯ve done for the region.¡±

    I slap his shoulder.

    ¡°Ah, come on, old man. We all played our part. Are you going back to Galar, now?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. I am leaving as soon as I will be able to. It¡¯s been a jolly good time here but I want to present my work to my peers.¡±

    I give him a nod.

    ¡°Do that. I¡¯ll see if I can find references to you in the future.¡±

    He scratches below his ear.

    ¡°That¡­ is still a strange thing to hear, even with all the things I learned about you¡­ and your friends.¡±

    He looks up at Palkia and Dialga with those last words.

    The two let out rumbling laughter.

    I look at the incredibly powerful Pok¨¦mon. Their smiles are clear but subdued.

    ¡°You big goofs,¡± I grin. They tilt their heads. ¡°I¡¯ve got these for you.¡±

    With those words, I pull out their Pok¨¦ Balls. A handmade Ultra Ball for Palkia and the one-and-only Origin Ball for Dialga. The two Pok¨¦mon pick up their respective balls and put them away¡­ somewhere. I can¡¯t see it clearly. It¡¯s almost like they disappear into thin air.

    A rumble from Spear Pillar distracts us. A familiar feeling of eldritch energy rushes over us. My smile widens as a wall of darkness rumbles down the stair only to stop a dozen metres in front of us. Two glowing red eyes appear in the shadows soon followed by a large, snake-like body. Giratina is floating half a step above the ground in their Origin Forme. The golden mask extending on the sides of their face and forming a tiara above their eyes reflects the morning sun. Six black tendrils lazily keep them afloat. I make out the amused glint in their eyes.

    The last two-hundred times I had challenged Arceus for the right to return to the future, the gate behind Giratina had disappeared immediately. Today, that is not the case. Instead, they keep the back of their tail just barely inside it, preventing it from closing.

    I am just about to ask what that was for when their mind connects to mine. It was much smoother than with Arceus. Mostly because Giratina could only bring a small part of themselves to bear in this world. Though I like to think we were just really good friends. Which we were. I had never caught a flier for my main team since Giratina would always carry me wherever I wanted to go.

    ¡°You succeeded,¡± they say. The voice was gravelly like the bottom of a river bed. ¡°It is time, then?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Yup. Arceus said to ask you guys about the specifics.¡±

    Giratina tilts their head.

    ¡°You are¡­ childish?¡±

    ¡°Just preparing myself for the return to my parents.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Akari makes, ¡°That¡¯s what that was about.¡±

    I give her a wink.

    ¡°¡­ very well,¡± Giratina says, ¡°We will return you where you came from. But there are limits.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°You will need to leave behind most of your team. I recommend no more than two accompany you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ oh.¡±

    Akari shudders.

    ¡°And what are we going to do with those monsters?¡±

    Apparently, Giratina is talking to her and Laventon as well.

    I shrug at her smirk.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I know. I¡¯ll take Lili and Lulu with me.¡±

    ¡°I never understood those names,¡± Laventon says, ¡°Such a bright mind with such a¡­ simplistic naming sense.¡±

    I wave him off.

    ¡°Lili for Liligant and Lulu for Luxray. It¡¯s perfect.¡±

    Akari snorts.

    ¡°You named your Garchomp, Gary¡±

    ¡°And your Goodra, Goopy,¡± Laventon adds.

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Next you¡¯re gonna tell me Lisa is a bad name for a Frosslass?¡±

    Akari barely stifled her giggle.

    ¡°No, but Ty for Typhlosion? Really? You didn¡¯t even give him a nickname before that!¡±

    They start laughing loudly at that. I pout.

    ¡°Hey, I called him Cyn, at first, and then Quil.¡±

    That only makes them laugh louder.

    Dialga catches my attention with a rumble. Their mind joins Giratina¡¯s in the telepathic connection.

    ¡°You will also start to age again,¡± they say, ¡°Though much slower than a normal human.¡±

    ¡°How slow?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Less than a third.¡±

    I nod, then look to Palkia.

    ¡°You also got bad news? What? Is my spacial bag not going to work on the other side?¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon shuffles their feet, showing nervousness despite all their strength.

    ¡°No. The bag will be fine. There¡¯s¡­ one more thing. But it¡¯s not specific to me¡­¡±

    I raise an eyebrow.

    ¡°Out with it.¡±

    ¡°You see¡­ The Legend Plate. It will use up a lot of energy in the journey. You will have to be sparse with your moves until it has time to recharge.¡±

    I open my mouth, then close it. That¡¯s actually good to know.

    ¡°Thanks, Palkia.¡±

    The guardian of space looks relieved.

    ¡°Then, release the ones you wish to leave behind,¡± Giratina says.

    I lick my lips, hesitating for a moment. Then I start pulling out six well-used Pok¨¦ Balls. One by one, my team appears in flashes of red and white.

    The first is Liligant, or Lili. The Grass/Fighting Pok¨¦mon has a bulbous green torso, almost like a flower bud. From it extend two agile legs, slightly crossed and standing like a ballerina. They are white above the knees and orange below. Two teal leaves extend from the top of her torso as arms. Her white face is only decorated with two orange eyes like upside-down water drops. Green leaves roll off her scalp like short hair topped by an orange flower blooming with a sweet scent. She chirps and does a tiny bow as she spots me.

    The next is Luxray, aka Lulu. She looks normal, just as you would expect. Black and blue fur covers her body with a star-tipped tail swishing lazily as she sits down. The only truly notable thing is her size. Instead of the usual 1.5 metres, reaching just below my chin, Lulu is over two and a half metres tall from paws to the tip of her mane. She growls a greeting and looks around sharply.

    I hesitate before letting out the remaining four all at once. Two enormous dragons dominate the group, almost as tall as Palkia and Dialga. One is covered in blue scales with fins on his arms. His chest is red and a yellow pattern shaped like a star covers the tip of his hammerhead. The other is a giant steel snail attached to a purple blob of goop. A head grows from the body like a snake, two hair-like tendrils extending a little above his eyes. They both roar quietly as they notice my mood.

    In front of them, Ty and Lisa are much smaller. And yet, they are no less powerful. All members of my team are rather equal in strength, only Lili having managed to have a positive record against everyone else. The deep blue of Typhlosion¡¯s fur leaks ghostly tendrils similar to the ones in Frosslass¡¯s skirt. Lisa rushes to me for a hug that puts a thin layer of frost on my clothes. I pat her back in slow circles as Ty slowly walks up.

    One by one I meet the eyes of my team. Gary has a resolute expression. He always wondered what it would be like to return to the wild and dominate a thunder of Dragons. Goopy just barely keeps himself from retreating into his shell. Slimy tears trickle down his cheeks. I extend another hand to pat Ty on the head. He purrs softly, pink flames leaking out of the spots around his neck.

    Soon, I drag myself out of Lisa¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, guys,¡± I say ¡°I won¡¯t be able to take all of you with me.¡±

    Gary nods, his eyes hard. I knew he would take it the best. Goopy actually wails. Akari steps up to him and starts patting his side which helps a little. I pat Lisa and Ty on the head one more time. They share a look before giving me a nod, then they retreat.

    I look at Lili and Lulu. My first two companions. Their elation for being taken along wars with the grief of possibly never seeing their friends again. But we talked about this a lot. I had almost expected to be unable to take along even one of them. The fact that I can take two is bittersweet. At least the Dragons and Ghosts have a chance of surviving the nearly two centuries I''m skipping ahead.

    I hear steps thundering behind me and turn around just to get a face full of slime. Goopy¡¯s arms wrap around my back and his head slithers around my neck giving me a full-force slime hug. I sink my arms into his body with a squelch, returning the hug as strongly as I can. The Goodra wiggles at my contact. Eventually, we let go. The slime starts to dissipate but I still wipe at my face so I can see again.

    Gary is next giving me nothing more than a pat on the head with one of his claws. I return it by jumping up to hug him, slathering the goop all over my friend. He roars in indignation and pries me off his neck. With a huff, he steps back.

    Goopy has returned to Akari¡¯s side. I walk over, giving her his Pok¨¦ Ball.

    ¡°Get along, you two!¡± I grin. They nod, tears in their eyes. Gary and Lisa get their Pok¨¦ Balls to keep for themselves. The Dragon gives it a look before gently breaking apart the two halves. Lisa lets it disappear underneath her skirt, vanishing into the Ghostly energy.

    I turn to Laventon one last time and give him Ty¡¯s ball.

    ¡°Take good care of him, Professor,¡± I say.

    ¡°O-of course, Zoe,¡± he grins ¡°Just like you did.¡±

    I smile, remembering my first day in Hisui where he told me the same thing. We shake hands one final time and I turn around.

    I take a deep breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Giratina nods.

    ¡°Return the two of them. They will have to stay in your satchel.¡±

    I nod and recall Lili and Lulu. Palkia and Dialga step up to the wall of darkness, flanking the entrance. Giratina is already turning around, slowly moving back to their home. I follow them at a sedate pace, looking back one last time. Akari waves, her and Goopy¡¯s tears making me start to cry again. Gary stands stock-still with his arms crossed. Ty and Laventon wave as Lisa gives me a curt nod. I raise my hand one last time and turn around to step into the darkness.

 002 Thunder

    As I step into the darkness, I feel a cloak of energy flow around me. It¡¯s something I have felt a lot in these last 20 years but never this directly. Palkia and Dialga are shrouding me in their domains. Space and Time. Then, the Distortion World opens up before my eyes. The first time I came here, I had a horrible headache. The strange shifts and swirls of everything just do that for a mortal brain. Now, I¡¯m somewhat used to it. Staying here was the key to fusing with the Legend Plate, after all.

    Giratina waits for me at a ledge overlooking the floating rocks. Gravity is incredibly weird here but I know the closer platforms by heart so I don¡¯t hesitate when they fly ahead and follow them through the strange and broken reality.

    After five minutes, my breathing starts to become heavy. But they don¡¯t slow down. On the contrary, Giratina accelerates and I have to push even harder to keep up. I realize we take turns keeping us in the area I know and every time I change direction some of the cloak Palkia and Dialga gave me wears down. Every time that happens the world flickers around me. I quickly realize the shifts and turns are not just in the Distortion World. They also happen in space and time. I¡¯m already on the way back home.

    After what feels like an eternity, Giratina finally slows down. We are back where we started. The same rock that we came in on is under my feet again. Well, I¡¯m standing on the other side of where I jumped off the first time, but still.

    Giratina coils around me, just barely keeping away from touching. I reach up to hold the side of their face. Exhaustion fills me. The space-time cloak is dissipated and I feel my energy leaking into the broken shards where I turned around during our journey. The Renegade Dragon gives me one last node before they disappear in a cloud of darkness. I feel myself drawn into the abyss and just barely manage to look back. I see my friend returning to the past as the dark closes around me.

    I fall for barely a dozen seconds before landing on something soft and cold. And wet. This is snow. I groan and just stay there for a few seconds. As I open my eyes, a tiny black orb is all that remains from the portal to the Distortion World. It disappears with a pop moments later.

    I blink a few times as I hear steps rapidly approaching from my left. They are not running through snow. It¡¯s stone. I shake my head and stretch my arms with a yawn, then let myself drop back down. The cold bites more than I remember. I feel for the pool of energy next to my soul and find only a quarter remains. Enough to keep me alive even if I sleep here for a few hours but not much more than your average trainer.

    The steps come closer, slowing down a bit as they start on snow. Then, a face comes into my vision. She has sharp eyes and a cute-in-a-strong-way face framed by flowing blond hair. A black scarf wraps around her neck and a black cloak lies around her shoulders. Somehow¡­ Oh. Yeah, I know this woman. She almost looks like Cogita. I wonder if they¡¯re related?

    ¡°Hey, Cynthia,¡± I say ¡°What¡¯s the champion doing here?¡±

    Cynthia frowns.

    ¡°I believe I should ask what a girl like you is doing up at spear pillar. Or why you dropped out of a black hole.¡±

    I snort.

    ¡°Not a black hole. That was a portal.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ see. And how did it put you on the top of Mount Coronet?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy. It¡¯s where I left from.¡±

    She raises an eyebrow.

    ¡°Right. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Zoe.¡±

    A frown blinks over her face for a moment. Then she huffs.

    ¡°Come on, then. I¡¯ll get you to safety.¡±

    ¡°¡¯m fine,¡± I manage just as she starts to pull me up. I yelp as I suddenly find myself on my feet. I let my knees give a little to give me a chance of fighting back before I notice Cynthia is only patting the snow off my back.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re fine. Now, where do you live?¡±

    I relax my posture and shake my legs while looking around. My home was¡­

    ¡°In Oreburgh. Yeah. The apartment complex in the far west, right next to the Gate. I can watch the trainers leave for route 203 every morning.¡±

    A frown spreads on my face.

    ¡°That way.¡±

    I point in the direction I know to be where I have to go.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll be fine, really. I wanna take my time.¡±

    Cynthia frowns as she puts away the Ultra Ball she had in her hand and pulls out a different one. With a pop and hiss much more metallic than what I¡¯m used to a Garchomp appears. A small one. She¡¯s barely two metres tall, just a little over half over Gary¡¯s size. I can reach up and pat her head without climbing her back. Which is just what I do.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a cutie!¡± I grin as the Dragon freezes. Then she snarls. I adjust my posture a tiny bit and meet her eyes. We stay like that for a few seconds before the Garchomp gives in. She starts nuzzling into my head pats, reluctantly at first, then with enthusiasm as I scratch just the right spots.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Cynthia says.

    I look at her standing with her hand extended, her posture the slouch after being ready for a fight that didn¡¯t happen.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I have never seen anyone just¡­ do that.¡±

    I return to patting the Dragon. She starts purring and her claw twitches just centimetres from my face. I grab it and slowly caress the base.

    ¡°What, this?¡±

    The Garchomp drops on its side, pressing her head into my hand with a little more force than necessary. I don¡¯t mind it and keep petting her.

    ¡°How are you¡­ do you¡­ what? Do you have a Garchomp?¡±

    I chase away the cloud of loneliness as fast as it comes.

    ¡°I raised a little boy. He was wonderful. But I had to go on without him.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Cynthia looks contrite ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I smile at her.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a trainer? I don¡¯t recognize you.¡±

    That¡¯s good to know. It means pictures of me never made it to this time period.

    ¡°I¡¯m more of a researcher,¡± I say ¡°It¡¯s¡­ somewhere between a hobby and a profession.¡±

    Cynthia blinks before dropping the topic.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go, then?¡±

    She indicates to the¡­ where¡¯s the tunnel? Did it collapse? There was supposed to be a tunnel here leading to a series of slopes and vertical cliffs you could use to climb back down.

    I shrug.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The Garchomp complains for a second as I stop petting her. With a command from Cynthia, she drops it immediately and stands alert to protect us. I glance at Cynthia. The champion thing is not for show, huh? We start walking in silence, rounding a few corners before she speaks up again.

    ¡°So¡­ what was that portal?¡±

    I sigh. If I should tell anyone, besides my parents, it would be the champion. Even without being interested in the gym circuit, I remember a lot of things about her. Mostly that she¡¯s incredibly strong and a good person. At least everyone said that about her. I decide to just get it over with.

    ¡°Technically it was a space-time distortion. Small, localized, and controlled.¡±

    ¡°A¡­ are you telling me that¡¯s a wormhole?¡±

    I frown.

    ¡°No. Not really. Wormholes do similar things, as far as I heard, but they connect to some sort of intermediary dimension. Okay, technically this one did too but¡­ It was controlled.¡±

    ¡°By Arceus¡­ a controlled wormhole. The implications of that. Did you?¡±

    I give her my best conspiratorial smirk.

    ¡°I did nothing. My friends made it. So I could go back home.¡±

    She pursed her lips.

    ¡°So you were whisked away from this world by¡­ something? Arceus, that must have been harrowing.¡±

    I let out a snort.

    ¡°I mean, sorta? When the big guy themselves whisks you away for some sort of world-saving mission you kinda just roll with it.¡±

    We walk in silence for a minute before Cynthia squawks. A real, genuine squawk. I haven¡¯t heard a Psyduck squawk better than that.

    ¡°You¡­ met Arceus?¡±

    I grin and jump into a pose, one hand on my hip, the other making a peace sign next to my head.

    ¡°Yup! They¡¯re a big softie!¡±

    Her eyes narrow.

    ¡°Okay, now tell me what really happened,¡± she demands.

    I shrug and returned to following Garchomp. The Dragon glances at her trainer before shrugging and moving on. Cynthia has to run a few steps to catch back up.

    ¡°Hey, I asked you a question!¡±

    ¡°And I answered it. What more can I do?¡±

    ¡°Ryu, help me out here!¡±

    The Garchomp just scoffs.

    ¡°What do you mean, there¡¯s nothing to help with?¡±

    The Dragon gives a whining growl.

    ¡°You! I raised you from a little baby to be the strongest Garchomp in Sinnoh and you betray me for scritches?¡±

    Ryu nods resolutely.

    I raise my hand and she moves to receive her reward.

    ¡°Ah!¡± I say, stopping her dead ¡°You should side with your trainer. She can really use the help.¡±

    I see the disappointment in her eyes.

    ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll teach her how to give you the best scritches.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The disappointment is replaced with anticipation.

    I turn to Cynthia who scowls at the interaction.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she says ¡°Let¡¯s say you told the truth. How long were you gone?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ difficult to say. Time travel and all that. It¡¯s been 20 years for me.¡±

    I grin at her incredulous face.

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t age on the other side. I could¡¯ve just stayed there and waited for the 200 years but¡­ I kinda miss my family.¡±

    I almost don¡¯t notice the tear running down my cheek before I wipe it off with my sleeve.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Cynthia says ¡°I¡¯ll get you back home.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going. I¡¯ll be able to make a call once we¡¯re through the cave.¡±

    I nod, resolution returning to my heart.

    ¡°Where is the cave, by the way?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s right around here. We¡¯ll have to be quiet. The Garchomp colony doesn¡¯t like having their kids disturbed.¡±

    Ryu nods and makes a shushing motion with one of her claws. I give her a smile of my own. A Garchomp with human gestures like that had to have spent the majority of her life in the care of a trainer, rather than the wild.

    The Dragon leads the way as Cynthia palms another ball. She gives me another look.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want to just fly there?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Yes. I wanna see the changes.¡±

    My voice shudders a bit but I press it into compliance. Cynthia ignores it. If she even noticed.

    We start our way into the mouth of the cave that¡¯s just around the next turn. It takes only a minute for the morning sun to disappear completely leaving us in near darkness. I can see just fine, as can Ryu. I notice Cynthia doesn¡¯t have any issues either as she puts away the flashlight in her hand with a glance at me.

    We keep going through twists and turns that are mostly unfamiliar to me. Here and there I spot a cave I feel like I have seen before but I never spent much time in Mount Coronet¡¯s hollows.

    After what feels like an hour, Cynthia signals me to stop. I lower my stance, ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice, when I hear a few growls from ahead. The champion makes a shushing motion at both Ryu and me before signalling the Dragon to move on. Slowly we make our way past a rather open cave in which I can see blue flames occasionally light up members of the Gible line. I smile at the playing Dragons trying to find their place in the thunder.

    At Cynthia¡¯s touch, I make to move again when an especially large flame clads two huge arm-wings of a gigantic Garchomp. I stumble at the familiar face. The way he shifts his posture as he hears my foot slide on the rock makes it clear. I feel a huge smile spreading on my face as the whole cavern stills, every single Dragon turning towards me. Nobody moves for a second.

    From the corner of my eye, I notice Cynthia trying to pull me along. Panic is in her eyes, quickly replaced by confusion as she notices the soft blue glow on my skin. Oh, and she can¡¯t move me. I brush her hands off and take a step forwards, slipping into my favourite stance. Immediately, recognition flickers over Gary¡¯s face. It really is him. And he looks good!

    With a ROAR to shatter any mortal¡¯s eardrums, he jumps to the front of the cavern. The other members of his species give him a wide berth.

    ¡°ZOE!¡± Cynthia screams ¡°RUN!¡±

    I turn to her and make a peace sign with my hand. My soul is already preparing the Fairy Type Energy I would need to defend myself. I refrain from using Ice. It would be unfair. Blue flames sprout from my hands and I can hear Cynthia exclaim in surprise behind me as I rush to meet my friend.

    Dragon Rush has a slightly intimidating factor to it. It doesn¡¯t work on Gary, he¡¯s seen it often enough, but every other Gible, Gabite, and Garchomp flinch back at my growl. My hands are covered in claws made of Dragon TE that quickly tear into Gary¡¯s side as my old friend just barely moves to the side. His return Dragon Claw strikes me and we both pause as it bounces off my back. What?

    There is Dragon TE in my hands and Fairy TE around my back. No. They are both in both places. I laugh as I realize I finally figured out dual typing. Of course! I only had to use less power!

    Gary growls as I get hit with a Crunch. It doesn¡¯t do too much to my Fairy TE but it manages to push me back. Which is just enough for the rumbling ground to trip me over. I feel spikes of earth hit my back, three or four. High Horsepower into Earth Power. And he¡¯s much faster than I remember. Maybe I should¡­? No. I¡¯ll play it fair.

    I jump back to my feet with a pop of my spine. I giggle as pink replaces the blue on my hands. The Dragon TE has run its course and I jump at Gary. There is a moment of hesitation in his face, then I¡¯m on him. My hands hit all the uncomfortable spots, the base of his arm-wings, the armpit, the base of his back fin, behind his head, the chin, the stomach. More and more punches land as my Play Rough beats him up. Then I realize he¡¯s not shouting in pain. He¡¯s laughing.

    His arm loops around and hooks into the neck of my shirt. It¡¯s sturdy enough to hold which is a bit of an issue right now. Because I¡¯m dangling in front of Gary¡¯s face with my arms and legs flailing helplessly.

    He chuckles as my move runs out and I grin. I got weaker but it''s still enough to play around.

    ¡°Ryu, Dragon Rush!¡± Cynthia calls out from behind me. Her voice is steel.

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Gary, intercept,¡± I say.

    My friend narrows his eyes. I keep eye contact for two seconds before he gives in. I¡¯m dropped unceremoniously and find the three-and-a-half metre colossus jump over me. He doesn¡¯t even use a move. He simply roars in challenge. Between his legs I can see Ryu freeze, barely avoiding a stumble. I get up and roll my shoulders.

    ¡°So, wanna have a battle, Cynthia?¡± I call out.

    I hear her splutter.

    ¡°What are you doing, Zoe? Get out of there! It¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    I walk up to Gary and grab his arm from just above my head. Then I start gently rubbing the base of his claw. My Dragon looks at me. I can see he¡¯s torn between indignation and happiness. Ryu is much more open in her envy.

    ¡°Not really?¡± I say with a wink at Cynthia.

    Gary snorts and pats my head with his free claw. Then he sits down with a thump and pulls me to his chest. I¡¯m surprised enough that it takes me a moment to return the hug. When I notice the tears in his eyes, I feel my own cheeks growing wet. We simply sit like that for a few minutes.

    When we come back to the present, I can see Cynthia surrounded by a few curious Gible. A particularly pretty Garchomp is keeping a close eye on them while talking to Ryu in low growls. The champion looks up as we shift and I see Gary giving her a nod.

    ¡°You know each other?¡± I ask him quietly. Of course, Cynthia hears it.

    Gary growls an affirmative.

    ¡°I got Ryu from here,¡± the champion says ¡°I had to show him my strength. How do you know each other?¡±

    Gary growls an explanation that makes me giggle. The other Dragons nearby look at me in awe.

    ¡°Yeah, that about sums it up,¡± I say.

    Cynthia blinks.

    ¡°Sorry, you understood that? I¡­¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t spent too much time with wild Pok¨¦mon?¡± I ask ¡°No worries. It¡¯s not that difficult to learn.¡±

    ¡°Can you¡­ translate?¡±

    I tilt my head, rubbing my temple with a knuckle.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I could. But then again, you¡¯re not part of the thunder.¡±

    ¡°The what?¡±

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°The flock, the pack, the thunder. You know?¡±

    I indicate the other Dragons all around us.

    Gary snorts.

    I look at him.

    ¡°Oh. She is?¡±

    He nods with a growl.

    ¡°Huh. Congratulations, Cynthia. Your honourable defence of a friend just landed you a spot in this family.¡±

    ¡°The what now?¡±

    ¡°That means I can tell you. But you can¡¯t tell anyone else!¡±

    ¡°I¡­ okay?¡±

    ¡°Pinkie promise?¡±

    The champion looks at my extended hand incredulously. Then she stands up, shakes her head and hooks her pinkie in with mine.

    ¡°Sure. I promise not to tell anyone.¡±

    I nod with satisfaction.

    ¡°So, Gary here was pretty lonely when I found him. He was always on the larger side so his family¡¯s matriarch threw him out to grow stronger without dominating the others of his age. I picked him up and gave him a new family. And when I went back to the present, I had to leave him behind. He decided to follow his dream of leading his own thunder of Dragons. That¡¯s what led to this.¡±

    I spread my arms pointing at all the little ones around us.

    ¡°Also, Ryu is his granddaughter.¡±

    Cynthia blinks twice at that, then looks at her Garchomp.

    ¡°Yup. That¡¯s her mum next to her.¡±

    Said ¡®mum¡¯ looks up at me and lowers her head. Ryu hesitantly follows her mother¡¯s lead.

    I chuckle and wave them off. Gary is gently running his claw through my shoulder-length hair. I lean back into his touch, enjoying the company.

    I look up to see Cynthia chewing on her lip, her eyes darting between me, Gary, and Ryu. Finally, she slaps her cheeks and pulls out a phone from her pocket. Its light gleams on her face for a bit as she fiddles with the device. Then, she stands up and walks up to me. She stops a step away, carefully eyeing Gary. My friend ignores her so she closes the distance and turns her device to me.

    ¡°Ever seen something like this?¡± she asks.

    I scan the image on the screen. It¡¯s something very familiar. A stone figure, mostly a head. An Arcanine, and not just any one. It¡¯s the Hisuian noble Arcanine. That statue that was standing in the Temple of Sinnoh, once, before I¡­ I mean, Palkia and Dialga blew it up.

    ¡°Yup. That¡¯s an Arcanine.¡±

    ¡°I figured that much but it looks different. Why does it have a horn? And why is its mane so long below its head?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that. There are a bunch of Pok¨¦mon that have changed over the years. The Arcanine, and Growlithe, that lived in Hisui were Fire and Rock type.¡±

    The champion narrows her eyes.

    ¡°You read Professor Laventon¡¯s Pok¨¦dex?¡±

    I laugh. A soft rumble from Gary joins in.

    ¡°Cynthia, I wrote parts of that Pok¨¦dex.¡±

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±

    I roll my eyes and reach for the satchel at my back. My fingers slip into the opening and with a tiny use of my energy my fingers close around the object I¡¯m looking for. When I pull it out, I hold a large, worn-down notebook in my hands. It¡¯s bound in blue leather and the word ¡®Pok¨¦dex¡¯ is written on the front in bright white letters.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± I say ¡°This is my version. Laventon took my notes and slimmed them down to the important parts.¡±

    The phone nearly drops out of her hands. Her mouth stands open as she hastily puts the device away. Then, her hands slowly move to the item on my lap. She stops herself a few centimetres away. Her eyes flick up at me.

    ¡°Can I take a look?¡±

    I pat Gary¡¯s leg right next to me.

    ¡°Sure. Take a seat.¡±

    She realizes then how close she is standing to the Alpha Garchomp and swallows. Gary observes her but makes no move to push her away. I take her hand and pull her down. She squeaks. When my Pok¨¦dex hits her lap, all her fear is forgotten.

    Cynthia manages to mumble a ¡°Thanks¡± as she opens the first page. I made sure not to give her the very first one I started with. There were some¡­ embarrassing things I wrote. Well, more like stupid. Seriously, how did I confuse Silcoon and Cascoon? The later books are just as much of a problem. They contain information on certain Legendary Pok¨¦mon that I¡¯m confident are mostly unknown even in this time period. I¡¯m going to make sure not to show them to anyone.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Cynthia says ¡°This starts with Torterra. Where are Grotle and Turtwig?¡±

    ¡°I have like two dozen of these books. I¡¯m not going to show you all of them, no matter how nicely you ask.¡±

    ¡°Even if I take you out for ice cream?¡± she tries.

    ¡°No. Some of these contain confidential information,¡± I hesitate for a moment ¡°Arceus told me not to give them to anyone.¡±

    I¡¯m sure they¡¯re fine with me using their name in such a way.

    A familiar jingle rips me out of my thoughts. I reach for my pack again. This time, I pull out my phone. The Arc-phone, as Arceus so helpfully named it. Cynthia stares at the white design with the golden ring on its back and four spikes going out from it.

    ¡°You have reception down here?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Apparently?¡±

    I look at the screen. ¡®One new message¡¯ it reads. I unlock it and, as expected, it¡¯s from Arceus.

    ¡°I am glad you managed to return. Do not use my name in vain.¡±

    I snort and close the app. Then I realize I do have reception here. It¡¯s not just Arceus using their immense power to send me a text message. I find some of my software that I haven¡¯t looked at in two decades is currently updating. I also find that I have over 200 text messages and another 50 missed calls. They¡¯re¡­ from my parents. And my little bro.

    ¡°Your family?¡± Cynthia asks.

    I nod.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, right?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    My eyes are watering again.

    I open my call list and find the first missed call was four weeks ago. One month. They haven¡¯t seen me for a month.

    I wipe the tears from my eyes and sniff. There is a fluttering feeling in my chest. Gary hugs me with the arm that was combing my hair.

    ¡°Thanks, bud,¡± I manage.

    Cynthia¡¯s hand lands on my shoulder.

    ¡°Maybe we should move on, then.¡±

    Gary agrees with a rumble.

    I... really should, right? Why was I even trying to delay?

    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll¡­ give me a minute. I¡¯ll be right with you.¡±

    Cynthia nods and stands up. She gives Gary a bow as she makes for the exit. The big goof picks me up for a hug which I return with all my strength. My Dragon growls a few words.

    ¡°Go on. Be strong.¡±

    Something like that.

    I nod. I take a moment to put away my Pok¨¦dex and clean my face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll come back to visit, sometime,¡± I say.

    Gary inclines his head.

    ¡°Goodbye, buddy,¡± I wave.

    As I leave, my old friend looks much different than¡­ an hour ago. Which was nearly 200 years ago for him. Okay, that does make sense. He stands with much more conviction. He is also much more honest about his feelings. When we said goodbye for the first time, he didn¡¯t want to show any weakness. Now, he is confident that even letting me pet him won¡¯t damage his standing in the thunder. No, in his family. He has found his place.

 003 Legends

    Cynthia is quiet as we keep moving through the caves. We are following Ryu who occasionally stops to chase away some other Pok¨¦mon. Mostly Bronzong and Graveler with the occasional Machoke or Golbat. I hear a Chimeco ring in a breeze and at one point a Medicham poses in front of us. Ryu quickly deals with it.

    All the while, Cynthia keeps glancing at me. I try giving her encouraging smiles whenever it happens but she takes almost half an hour to finally speak up.

    ¡°Hey, Zoe,¡± she starts.

    ¡°Mhm?¡± I make.

    ¡°What you did back there¡­ are you a Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    I shrug my shoulders.

    ¡°Not really, no. In a sense, maybe? I don¡¯t think Pok¨¦ Balls would work on me so I¡¯m still more human than not.¡±

    ¡°I see. But you can use moves. That was a Dragon Rush and a Play Rough earlier, right?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Some of the standard stuff I use when sparring with Gary. Used.¡±

    She fidgets with something in her pocket for a moment before meeting my eyes with a resolute gaze.

    ¡°Can I try using a Pok¨¦ Ball on you?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I freeze and trip over. I catch myself on my hands, unconsciously pushing some Rock Type Energy to my palms. When I sit up, there are two small indents where the balls of my thumbs met the ground.

    Ryu growls a question.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I wouldn¡¯t keep you in there even if it worked but I think it would be important to know.¡±

    I tilt my head.

    ¡°Honestly, go for it. Just let me put this down for a moment.¡±

    I loosen the strap holding my satchel and place it on the ground. Then I stand up and face Cynthia. Ryu walks in between us, moving into a combat stance.

    ¡°We¡¯re not gonna fight, okay?¡± I say ¡°Otherwise I¡¯m gonna let Lulu out to play.¡±

    ¡°No fighting yet,¡± Cynthia says ¡°Keep an eye on our surroundings, Ryu.¡±

    The Dragon hesitates and steps to the side.

    Cynthia doesn¡¯t wait long and pulls a shrunken Pok¨¦ Ball from her pocket. She presses the button that enlarges it and meets my eyes. I give her a grin and clap my hands. A few Stealth Rocks drop to the ground, using up my remaining Rock TE. She nods and throws the ball without much ceremony. It bounces off my chest without reacting at all.

    I smirk.

    ¡°What was all that about.¡±

    Relief runs over her face.

    ¡°I thought you were some shapeshifting or illusion Pok¨¦mon. I¡¯m glad that¡¯s not the case. Still, how are you using moves?¡±

    ¡°Arceus taught me.¡±

    That seems to shut her up.

    She didn¡¯t look fully convinced so I reached for my satchel. I dug in it for a moment before getting Lili¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball.

    ¡°Is that handmade?¡± Cynthia asks.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°You know those will break down after a few months?¡±

    ¡°This one is 20 years old. Hasn¡¯t failed me yet.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ wait, Laventon. His notes talk about making Pok¨¦ Balls by hand that last for decades. I always thought that was a myth.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he didn¡¯t really make them. Akari was the best at that. I¡¯d like to believe I¡¯m close to her skill.¡±

    I throw the ball and with a beam of red and white, my partner stands before me. Lili chirps a greeting before looking around. Ryu growls and steps a little closer but the Grass Type just waves at her.

    ¡°Hey, Lili,¡± I say ¡°That¡¯s Ryu. She¡¯s Cynthia¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, the woman standing over there. She¡¯s also Gary¡¯s granddaughter.¡±

    The ballerina bows to both of them before starting to chirp at Ryu. The Dragon quickly realizes she¡¯s in trouble and starts to walk backwards but Lili simply follows her.

    ¡°That almost looks like a Liligant,¡± Cynthia says ¡°but the proportions are all wrong.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a Liligant, alright. A regional form is what you¡¯d say though nowadays it¡¯s more of an ancient form. At least I never heard of one like her before. I didn¡¯t do too much research, admittedly.¡±

    ¡°Does she have different typing?¡±

    ¡°Grass Fighting.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just asking to get Brave Birded.¡±

    ¡°I recommend Aerial Ace. She¡¯s really fast. Especially my Lili here. She¡¯s the strongest fighter in my team, by record.¡±

    Cynthia blinks. Ryu whines.

    ¡°Stronger than your Garchomp?¡±

    ¡°Gary had a lot of trouble with her. She¡¯s just too agile once she gets going.¡±

    ¡°A flamethrower should do it, no?¡±

    As answer, Lili flexes with one of her arm-leaves. A tiny shard of ice forms at the tip.

    ¡°Ice Punch?¡±

    ¡°Sort of. She can use it much better with a sort of spinning move on both arms. We started calling it Ice Spinner.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a powerful move.¡±

    ¡°Wait, we made that up ourselves. It¡¯s common now?¡±

    Cynthia nods.

    ¡°Guess I¡¯ve got a lot of catching up to do,¡± I grin.

    The champion smiles.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let you off, for now. I would still like to do a DNA test to see how much human you are.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± I say ¡°Let¡¯s keep going, then?¡±

    We keep moving through the caves of Mount Coronet, this time with two Pok¨¦mon. Ryu wants to let Lili take the lead but my Pok¨¦mon just points her forwards. I enjoy the sights that I haven¡¯t spent much time with before. I didn¡¯t know just how extensive these caverns were. I only ever scratched the surface. I¡¯ll have to spend some time researching the cultures of cave-dwelling Pok¨¦mon.

    It takes until we arrive at the lower levels before Cynthia speaks again.

    ¡°We should probably take a break soon. You got some food with you?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°All in here.¡±

    She eyes my satchel with suspicion.

    ¡°Is that a spatial bag?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°Did you also make that yourself?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all. The normal bag is standard issue for the Survey Corps. I just had Palkia and Dialga¡­ improve it.¡±

    ¡°You made the gods of space and time make a bag for you?¡±

    ¡°You know them, then?¡±

    ¡°I do. A few years ago Team Galactic tried to bind them with the red chain so they would destroy the world and make a new one. Giratina ended up taking down their leader before it could come to that.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? That sounds incredibly familiar.¡±

    ¡°Did they exist back then, as well?¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­,¡± I point at the emblem on my shoulder ¡°The Galaxy Expedition Team founded Jubilife. Back then, they helped me stop a guy called Volo from doing the same by using Giratina¡¯s envy.¡±

    ¡°¡­ we have a lot to talk about in a more comfortable setting,¡± Cynthia says.

    ¡°Seems like it,¡± I sigh.

    We take a break in sight of the exit leading onto Route 207 to Oreburgh. I mostly have berries in my satchel but also a few cookies and ration bars. Cynthia has her own spatial bag, this one made by the Devon Corporation. Apparently a gift from Steven Stone. I wasn¡¯t aware the champions of different regions were communicating. Her rations are much tastier so I quickly put my stuff away when she offers me some.

    We don¡¯t really talk about much because other trainers occasionally walk by. They stare a lot at Cynthia and even more at me. Is it so strange for me to be here? Or is it my clothes? It¡¯s my clothes, isn¡¯t it? Stop staring, they¡¯re really sturdy!

    Eventually, we set off again. Cynthia recalls her Garchomp since 207 is much calmer than the caves leading to the Sinnoh Temple. Spear Pillar, I mean. The champion seems to have some obsession with ancient buildings and history and I try to answer her questions as well as I can but most of the things she wants to know about were ruins 200 years ago as well. Though they repurposed the old Galaxy Expedition Headquarters to be the Trainer School, so I tell her a little bit about the history of that building. I spent a lot of time in there, after all.

    We make quick time with Lili chasing away any wild Pok¨¦mon that want to make trouble. It¡¯s early afternoon when we step onto the ledge looking down on the city. I sigh deeply as I look at the familiar buildings. The Mining Museum stands right next to the north entrance. It¡¯s one of the larger buildings in town. Right behind it I can see the red roof of the Pok¨¦mon Center. Beyond that are a few apartment buildings before the Mine¡¯s load-off zone begins. Even from here, I can see the cloud produced by all the rocks moving along the conveyor belts.

    Further west, to the right from my viewpoint, a bunch of smaller houses stand. Some of them still look mostly like they did 200 years ago when we set up the mine. Others have been clearly renovated or even straight-up rebuilt. There are a few apartment complexes as well, though the place where my parents¡­ where I live, is hidden behind another mountainside.

    The only other building of note is the Oreburgh Gym. The only one I ever beat. I hug myself and shudder a little at the reminder of my little Geodude. Lili puts her arm-leaf around me and chirps reassuringly. I lean into her touch. I¡¯m almost¡­ home. I will see him soon.

    ¡°You good?¡± Cynthia asks.

    I nod.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­ Um. Do you want to come all the way to my home?¡±

    She smiles.

    ¡°I would like to. If you don¡¯t want me there, at least give me your number.¡±

    I smirk.

    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for less than a day and you¡¯re already so forward?¡±

    ¡°A¡­ You¡¯re way too young for me.¡±

    I shrug.

    ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you. Also, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m older than you. I just look like this because Arceus.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a very convenient excuse.¡±

    I laugh which prompts Lili to twirl in happiness.

    ¡°To get back on topic, you can accompany me. I mean, come with me. I¡¯ll also give you my number, of course.¡±

    The champion smiles.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. Let¡¯s go, then!¡±

    Getting into town is no issue. There¡¯s a small ranger station right before the entrance. They keep out the wild Pok¨¦mon from the city and respond to emergency calls from any trainers on the nearby routes. One look at Cynthia is enough for them to wave us through.

    Lili chirps excitedly at the new impressions. She has a lot of questions about the buildings, especially the museum that has one wing built pretty much only from glass and steel, like a gigantic greenhouse. I make sure to answer everything as best I can, which draws a few looks from Cynthia. And some onlookers but I ignore them.

    When the first car drives past, Lili jumps into my arms. I laugh at her scare and gently pat her back. Soon she calms down and we turn onto the road leading home. There¡¯s a Pok¨¦mart right in front of us and a few smaller houses right next to it. Then the apartment buildings start. Something clamps in my stomach and my throat is dry. I stop to take a breather and a few sips of water. With a deep sigh, I turn to walk back home only to get distracted by the sliding doors of the mart opening.

    I freeze like a Stantler caught in headlights. A very familiar face is locked onto mine. The same grey eyes, tiny nose and slightly pointy chin as my own. The same platinum blonde hair that sits on my head. Bone-deep exhaustion distorts her features. My mother. Mum.

    I barely notice the Normal TE pushing me into a Quick Attack as I impact her. My arms close around her back in a strong hug. I hear Lili exclaim behind me. I feel tears well up in my eyes. A hand reaches around my back, strongly returning the hug. When the other one lands on the back of my head, my tears start to flow.

    A few moments later, that might as well be years, a third person joins the hug. I feel the soft touch of Lili¡¯s leaf reach around me and her quiet chirps in my ear. Mum is crying as well, now, I distantly notice. Her gentle fingers caress my hair, undoing some of the careful braiding but I can¡¯t bring myself to care.

    I¡¯m home.

    Someone clearing his throat breaks us up.

    ¡°Excuse me, could you let me through?¡± a man says.

    ¡°O-of course,¡± Mum says ¡°Sorry.¡±

    I let go with one arm and pull her to the side. Meanwhile, Lili angrily chirps and waves at the man leaving the Pok¨¦mart. He snarls something which makes my friend slap his head but I barely pay attention.

    ¡°M-mum!¡± I manage between sniffles ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m back.¡±

    She once again grips me tight.

    ¡°Oh, sweetie! I¡¯m so glad!¡±

    I look up at her face, seeing the smile I dreamt of almost every night. The soft curve of her full lips, the only thing I didn¡¯t get from her, makes my heart race with happiness. I grin back at her.

    ¡°Me too!¡± I say.

    We stay like this for another minute, dumbly revelling in our happiness, before Cynthia clears her throat.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she says ¡°but maybe we should move on?¡±

    I look around and scoff at the onlookers. A few people seem to be taking pictures with their phones.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s,¡± I say before I can get any dumb ideas.

    I drop the hug with Mum and take her hand to drag her along. Lili chirps and takes her other hand, just barely taking the time to relieve Mum of the bag of groceries.

    Together, we make quick time and are almost halfway down the street before Mum gets her thoughts together.

    ¡°Wait, was that the Champ?¡± she asks.

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Cynthia says from behind us.

    ¡°Wha!¡± Mum turns her head.

    ¡°Come on, Mum!¡± I grin ¡°We can talk at home!¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ alright.¡±

    She spares a glance at Lili who chirps happily before shaking her head. I hear her mumbling something about a fever dream but I don¡¯t care.

    When we reach the building our home is in, I stop. My hand reflexively goes to my hip before realizing I didn¡¯t have my key. It had stayed behind when Arceus took me away. I let go of Mum¡¯s hand and look at her. She ruffles my hair, which I enjoy with closed eyes, before slowly taking out her key and opening the door. I only barely stop myself from rushing her along but Lili chirps a few calming words at me.

    Two minutes later, we stand in front of our apartment door. Mum is holding the key a few centimetres from the door and staring at Cynthia still behind us.

    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t want to be rude but¡­ May I ask what you are doing here?¡±

    Cynthia shrugs.

    ¡°I found her on the top of Mount Coronet. She invited me to come visit.¡±

    ¡°Mount¡­ What?¡±

    Mum looks at me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside?¡± I practically beg ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you everything, I promise. But I want everyone to be there.¡±

    She sighs deeply.

    ¡°Fine. Let me call your dad. I think he¡¯ll be able to quit early with all the overtime he pulled the last weeks.¡±

    ¡°Is Rob home?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then open up!¡± I say.

    Mum smiles softly. It takes a full five seconds before she blinks and finally opens the door. I dash inside, whooping with my arms raised.

    ¡°I¡¯m hoooome!¡±

    Then I¡¯m around the corner to the living room and see my little bro dumbly staring up from a card game he was playing with Geodude. The remainder of my Normal TE turns into another quick attack that I use to pick both of them up in one arm.

    ¡°HEY!¡± Rob shouts, before dumbly staring down at me. He¡¯s only one head shorter than I am and yet I¡¯m holding him up without strain. Geodude is just dumbly staring at me.

    ¡°Hey, little bro! Hey, Geodude!¡± I say, looking between them.

    ¡°Duude!¡± the little rock shouts before clamping his hands around my neck. I steel my muscles, literally with some TE, and nuzzle his face. Then Rob bends over, hugging both of us from above.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Of course, that unbalances me enough to make us fall into a pile. I laugh as I pet the back of Geodude while my little brother rolls off my body only to clamp right back onto me.

    Suddenly, Geodude flinches back, his hands nearly ripping out some of my hair. My vision frees up to show Lili bending down to look at us, one of her arms extended to where Geodude just was. I grin at the little rock.

    ¡°No worries, she won¡¯t hurt you,¡± I say and his shivering stops.

    Lili chirps happily as he makes his way over while Rob only stares at her.

    Soft steps announce the arrival of Mum and Cynthia in our living room. I look at the doorway only to be faced by a scowl on Mum¡¯s face. She points at the floor, then at me.

    ¡°Shoes off!¡± she says.

    I gulp.

    ¡°Whoops? Sorry!¡±

    I push off my little brother and stand up, carefully walking back to the hallway as the other two make their way to the couch. Geodude perks up and follows me, levitating the dirt into his hands. I smile at him.

    ¡°Thanks, buddy!¡±

    ¡°Geo!¡± he says, earning a pat on his head.

    When I come back into the living room, I see my little bro staring at Cynthia. Lili has made herself comfortable on the rug while Mum is busy in the kitchen, probably making tea judging by the sound of boiling water. I wave at the champion and walk to the kitchen.

    ¡°Can I help with anything?¡± I ask, peeking around the doorway.

    Mum smiles and pulls me into another hug.

    ¡°You just make yourself comfortable, okay?¡±

    I chuckle.

    ¡°Alright, Mum. When¡¯s dad coming?¡±

    ¡°He said 20 minutes. He was just taking his break.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡±

    It ended up taking him thirty minutes which I spent giggling at my little bro¡¯s worship of Cynthia. He and Geodude are sitting/floating in front of the couch and asking questions about training and battling as I cuddle with Mum and Lili.

    When the key finally rattles in the door, I jump up and run into the hallway. The door has just opened when I ram into Dad. His clothes are still dirty from the mine but I don''t care. Mine are a little dirty as well from the fight with Arceus and then the journey down Mount Coronet.

    Dad freezes at my impact but soon catches himself and lifts me. Only a few centimetres, I''m too tall for him to carry as he once used to do.

    ¡°Hey, Dad. I¡¯m back,¡± I say.

    His answer is mumbled into the top of my head. Then he carries me inside and pushes the door closed before putting me down again.

    ¡°You really are, my little Ralts.¡±

    I pout.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you little Ralts! I¡¯m at least a Kirlia, by now!¡±

    A bit of Psychic TE rushes through my head and with a soft puff of air, all the dirt falls off our clothes. I make sure to levitate it into the flower pot standing close to the entrance.

    Dad stares.

    ¡°Did you just¡­?¡±

    I grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything. Come on! And take your shoes off!¡±

    I¡¯m already back in the living room when I hear him chuckle.

    A few minutes later, I¡¯m ready to start my tale. There¡¯s just one more thing I want to do first.

    ¡°Little bro, come here,¡± I say and pat the couch next to me. Lili is talking to Geodude on the ground next to us while Cynthia sits around the corner. Mum and Dad are cuddling next to me.

    Rob obliges and I sit up from leaning on Mum¡¯s side, reaching for the back of my pack. I take out the handmade Hyper Ball and bring it before me.

    ¡°It¡¯s a small room, Lulu,¡± I whisper ¡°so make yourself small.¡±

    Cynthia blinks as I throw the ball. When the pop and hiss turns into a cloud of red and white almost as tall and wide as the room, her eyes bulge. Her hand reaches into a pocket, most likely for some kind of Pok¨¦ Ball. Mum yelps in surprise as the black and blue electric lioness materializes. Lulu¡¯s mane touches the ceiling for a moment before she lies down. Her yellow-and-red eyes slowly look around the room while her tail lazily swishes back and forth.

    I get up and rub her forehead, which elicits a purr from my big and lazy Luxray. Then I turn around, arms spread wide.

    ¡°Let me introduce you to Lulu. She and Lili were the only two I was able to bring along.¡±

    Lulu growls softly and presses her head into my back. I chuckle as I reach back for more pets, a few sparks flying between my fingers.

    ¡°That is a huge Luxray,¡± Cynthia remarks. Then she nods at Lulu ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Lulu,¡± I say ¡°These are my family. And Cynthia, I guess.¡±

    Rob snorts.

    ¡°Mrawwr!¡± Lulu greets.

    My little bro waves. Dad is a little more reserved with his nod. Mum still seems a little scared but manages a greeting as well. The only troublemaker is Geodude. He poses in front of the giant lioness and flexes his arms. Lulu chomps his hand when he throws a slow punch her way. I laugh as the little rock desperately tries to free his limb while Lulu looks over at a giggling Lili.

    ¡°I guess, I¡¯ll let him out as well, then,¡± Dad says and throws his partner¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball. A much smaller beam of light quickly turns into a Machop. The steel-blue skin of the humanoid is rippling with muscles as it flexes in a greeting. The three hair-like plates running down his back gleam slightly from the protective oil Dad rubs into them for work.

    First, he spots Lulu playing with Geodude. He tilts his head, then laughs. Lulu snorts and lets go of the little rock. Geodude rubs his fingers while complaining. Then, Machop turns around. His eyes widen a little at Cynthia, more at seeing me, and then he freezes when he spots Lili. My friend chirps a question and Machop shakes his head. Then he flexes again, this time in a full-body pose.

    ¡°Choop!¡± he shouts, then changes his position ¡°Ma ¨C Chooopp!¡±

    Lili giggles, a hand covering the lower part of her face where a mouth would be on a human.

    I walk over and pat his head. He blinks at me.

    ¡°Nice to see you again,¡± I say.

    He nods curtly, then holds out a fist. I bump it with my own before sitting down against Lulu¡¯s side. Her fur makes my hair rustle with sparks as I lean back.

    ¡°So,¡± I say ¡°It¡¯s time for my story.¡±

    I look around, seeing expectant faces all around. Even Cynthia is leaning forward a bit.

    ¡°I would like to know how long I was gone.¡±

    Mum and Dad share a look.

    ¡°A month,¡± Mum says ¡°34 days, to be exact.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been 20 years for me.¡±

    Rob snorts.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re 40.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m 35,¡± I complain ¡°And things happened that stopped me from ageing.¡±

    ¡°What things?¡± Mum asks.

    ¡°Arceus things.¡±

    That shuts everyone up. Only my Pok¨¦mon aren¡¯t disturbed and Cynthia only flinches at my casual use of the Creator¡¯s name.

    I sigh, then start my tale.

    ¡°First of all, no interruptions. This is gonna take long enough. You can ask questions after. Okay?¡±

    Everyone nods, though I can see Cynthia is a little hesitant.

    ¡°I was plucked from my bed when I was sleeping by none other than Arceus. They had a task for me. To save the world. Cynthia told me something similar happened here a few years ago with some kind of ¡®Team Galactic¡¯ but basically, some madman wanted to destroy the world to make a new one that was ¡®fair and just¡¯ or something.¡±

    My parents share a look.

    ¡°That was the Red Night,¡± Cynthia says.

    I give her a look.

    ¡°Yes. We covered it up. Couldn¡¯t have everyone panic.¡±

    ¡°Right. Anyway, I didn¡¯t find out about all that until a while later. After Arceus told me to ¡®seek out all Pok¨¦mon¡¯ they dropped me out of a space-time distortion right onto Sandgem Beach. That¡¯s where the town is now. ¡®Coincidentally¡¯, someone going by the name of Professor Laventon was right where I fell along with three young Pok¨¦mon that had escaped his laboratory.

    ¡°He picked me up and brought me to Jubilife village after I caught the three runaways. Yes, village. The place had just been founded a few years earlier by the Galaxy Expedition Team.¡±

    I pat the insignia on my sleeve.

    ¡°This is their symbol. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if their remains turned into the same ¡®Team Galactic¡¯ that made trouble here but back then they were pretty nice people if a little uptight. By the way, these clothes are the uniform of the Survey Corps. The part of the Galaxy Exploration Team I joined after Laventon took me to the village.¡±

    ¡°They look kinda run down,¡± Rob interjects.

    ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯ve gone through a few sets over the years. Exploring the wilderness and doing live research on wild Pok¨¦mon isn¡¯t easy on your clothes.¡±

    ¡°Let alone battling,¡± Cynthia adds.

    I nod before continuing.

    ¡°So, after joining the Survey Corps, I spent the next few months exploring the Hisui region, which was the name of Sinnoh back then, and catching and researching all kinds of Pok¨¦mon. All the while, there was a huge space-time rift hanging over the peak of Mount Coronet. I think it was three months in when some huge lightning strikes shot out of the rift and hit a few very specific Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°You see, back then there were the so-called ¡®Noble Pok¨¦mon¡¯ guarding specific parts of the Hisui region. The Diamond- and Pearl-Clan had wardens taking care of them and in return were protected from the more dangerous wild Pok¨¦mon. There were a total of ten Nobles, five of them with a fixed den, five roaming their respective territory. The ones with a fixed den were hit by the lightning and turned into a frenzy.

    ¡°I was the one with the most experience catching and working with wild Pok¨¦mon so together with Laventon and my friend Akari, we worked out a way to calm them down. The wardens helped as well, I might add. But calming them down wasn¡¯t even the big issue. That came after the fact.

    ¡°When we had all the Nobles calmed down, something broke with the space-time rift above Mount Coronet. The sky was turned into some disturbing colours forming a sort of pattern. The scouts had seen an unknown Pok¨¦mon on the other side before retreating. Because I was the only real ¡®outsider¡¯, the Commander of the Galaxy Expedition Team threw me out of the village until I could prove it wasn¡¯t my fault. As I said, a bit of an uptight idiot.¡±

    I can see Mum wanting to interject something, probably a complaint about my harsh language, but I simply continue my story.

    ¡°It took some more outside help. A merchant called Volo,¡± Cynthia flinched ¡°brought me to a woman going by Cogita,¡± this time, she gasped ¡°who remembered something about a ¡®Red Chain¡¯ that could seal the power of the Legendary Pok¨¦mon. The one on the other side of the rift.

    ¡°It ended up being a lot of work to get the Red Chain but once I had it, I climbed Mount Coronet where Kamado, the Commander, was trying to fight off the Legendary together with the Security Corps. I ended up taking charge of that action and fought off the first Pok¨¦mon that made it through. It was Palkia, master of space. I caught them after weakening them with the Red Chain.

    ¡°After that, their other half, Dialga, came through. Kamado called a retreat because Palkia had broken the Red Chain. Laventon then devised the Origin Ball which Akari made with his guidance. Together with Palkia, I then faced Dialga and ended up catching them as well. In the process of that battle, the Temple of Sinnoh was destroyed. The remains are what you know as Spear Pillar.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Mum asks ¡°You were there when it was destroyed?¡±

    I indulge in the grin on her face. The look she always had when I came up with a particularly outlandish excuse for why I hadn¡¯t done my housework. Lulu shifts behind my back and I scratch behind her ear. That quickly wipes the look off Mum¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yeah, I was,¡± I say ¡°Things looked pretty good for a while after that. The sky had returned to normal, the space-time rift had closed and everybody was alive. But it wasn¡¯t quite over. It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out who the original culprit was. After all, Volo was pushing for me to find all 18 Plates. Capital-P Plates, that is. Objects that I later learned were remains of Arceus.

    ¡°Volo had used Giratina¡¯s envy of Arceus¡¯ power and the worship brought forth to them to push Giratina for a battle with Arceus. I had to face his Pok¨¦mon and Giratina in a battle to fend him off and finally get peace. But I couldn¡¯t go home, yet. I figured it would¡¯ve been easy but it turned out to be nearly impossible.

    ¡°For one, I couldn¡¯t get to Arceus. That was the easy way back. I had befriended the avatars of Dialga and Palkia by that point but¡­ they were shifty about the whole thing. I went ahead and found Giratina as well who caused the space-time rift Arceus used to bring me back in time but even they couldn¡¯t help me.

    ¡°So I went back to square one and remembered what Arceus asked me to do. To ¡®seek out all Pok¨¦mon¡¯. That took a little over a year, for the Pok¨¦mon of Hisui, which was what led me to Arceus. But the real problem, and the reason they couldn¡¯t send me back, was that I got injured during the first time-travelling journey. My soul would shatter on the way back. Arceus had given me the task to ¡®seek out all Pok¨¦mon¡¯ so I wouldn¡¯t meet them again. Since apparently, that was supposed to be impossible, or something.¡±

    Cynthia snorts, which prompts a bout of uneasy giggles from the others.

    ¡°Anyway, with my conviction proven, Arceus gave me the Legend Plate, an item that holds Type Energy of all 18 types. They taught me how to access the energy, and then, it was training time.

    ¡°I spent probably a month figuring out how to use some basic moves. Using the Legend Plate was slowly reinforcing my soul, so anything I did with it was good enough. And Arceus gave me another task. I had to beat their avatar in a battle. Just me versus them, one on one. Every type could only be used once per fight and if I managed to get them to about half their stamina, it¡¯s my win and I can go back home.

    ¡°It took 20 years to get there¡­ And now,¡± I wipe budding tears from my eyes ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±

    Lulu huffs gently and leans over to nuzzle my hair. I lean into her touch and enjoy the little sparks flying between her fur and my skin.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Rob shouts suddenly ¡°You can use moves? Like¡­ Pok¨¦mon moves? Does that mean you¡¯re a Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Mum blinks and Dad shifts uncomfortably but Cynthia gives my little brother a withering look.

    ¡°She is not,¡± the Sinnoh-champ says coldly ¡°Please don¡¯t suggest it. It¡¯s a serious accusation for a Pok¨¦mon to be imitating a human. Even more so if said human has gone missing.¡±

    Rob tilts his head and thinks for a moment. Then his eyes widen in horror.

    ¡°Oh, shit! I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Mum looks uncomfortably between Cynthia and me but I just smile.

    ¡°The question is appropriate. I¡¯ve dealt with Zoroark before. The¡­ what was it called? Pok¨¦mon Social Integration Law? We set that up for some of the particularly persistent ones.¡±

    Now Mum¡¯s eyes are the ones to light up. Not in horror but excitement.

    ¡°You worked on that, too? Oh, wow! It¡¯s an ancient piece of Sinnoh history that¡¯s basically never used anymore! I¡­¡±

    She shrinks back to the chuckles of our family.

    ¡°Yeah, no, I didn¡¯t work on that. I suggested something like it and the smart people worked it out.¡±

    Cynthia speaks up again.

    ¡°To get back on topic, I tried using a Pok¨¦ Ball on Zoe, with her consent. It didn¡¯t work. I want to do a DNA test as well, just to make sure.¡±

    I give her a nod at which she smiles.

    ¡°There¡¯s still the fact that you can use Pok¨¦mon moves. That puts you somewhere in between human and Pok¨¦mon. Which is not really something the law accounts for. We might have to give you a PSIL-ID so you don¡¯t get in trouble for using moves in public.¡±

    I consider it for a moment before agreeing.

    ¡°That sounds like a good idea. There are a few moves I use somewhat instinctively, like Quick Attack for movement. Or even Teleport. If I can still get that to work¡­¡±

    ¡°You can Teleport?¡± Dad asks.

    ¡°I was able to. Coming back to the future strained my soul again which means I can¡¯t draw as much energy as I¡¯m used to. Thinking about it, that Play Rough earlier today felt really weak but it worked. It might just take a lot of time to channel the energy for a proper Teleport.¡±

    Everyone stares as I shrug.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to test my new limits. It¡¯s a smart idea anyway before setting off again.¡±

    At that, Mum frowns.

    ¡°You want to leave again after you just came back?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I like travelling the wild. I don¡¯t think I could sit still in school again, or take an office job.¡±

    Lulu snorts. Little sparks fly from her nose.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to figure out if Professor Rowan can make use of a wilderness researcher¡­ or maybe I¡¯ll join the Rangers? It¡¯s gonna take a while, no matter what. I¡¯ll stay here for the time being, Mum.¡±

    At that she bristles.

    ¡°You are going to finish your education, young lady, do you hear me?¡±

    Cynthia butts in.

    ¡°Before anything of that is set in stone¡­ Do you want to battle?¡±

    I blink.

    ¡°Against you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m interested in seeing how we match up. Seeing as you only have two Pok¨¦mon on that level,¡± her hand indicates Lulu ¡°we could only go for a friendly match right now¡­ But if you make it through the League Circuit, which I expect you to be capable of, you might even de-throne me.¡±

    I snort.

    ¡°No. With all due respect, I¡¯m not gonna run from city to city for some shiny badges. Not this circuit, likely not the next, or ever.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Rob asks ¡°If you can be Champ, you go for it, right?¡±

    ¡°Too much work,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯d rather relax.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Dad begins.

    Lili¡¯s chirp interrupts him. She stands up and steps between us. I look to my last ally, Mum. She seems to be confused. Not at the question if I want to become champion but at my answer. Despite her never even trying for a single badge. She doesn¡¯t even have a Pok¨¦mon for crying out loud!

    ¡°Do I have no allies here besides my own Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°Dude!¡± Geodude says.

    ¡°Thanks, but you¡¯re technically still my Pok¨¦mon,¡± I say.

    Machop shakes his head while everyone else gives me weird looks.

    ¡°I won¡¯t push you,¡± Cynthia forces herself to say ¡°But think about it.¡±

    I sigh.

    ¡°If you want a friendly match, I¡¯m up for it. Just remember that I don¡¯t have much experience with normal Pok¨¦mon battles. I mostly fight hand-to-hand.¡±

    ¡°We can make it a three-on-three,¡± the champ grins.

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°We''ll see. But give me some time, first.¡±

    That acquiescence is at least enough to settle my family. We soon continue onto supper, with Lulu and Lili joining Geodude and Machop at their bowls of Pok¨¦chow. They don¡¯t dislike it but prefer fresh food. Cynthia excuses herself and tells me she¡¯ll call me for both the DNA test and the match. My family is excited and the topic keeps coming back to it. I give short, non-committal answers to their questions about strategy and move-sets. Is battling really all there is to Sinnoh¡¯s culture? Shouldn¡¯t there be¡­ more?

 004 Home

    The next morning begins with me hugging my blanket closer. I hear a mumbling voice from somewhere and Lili is chirping on the other side of the door. I know Lulu is right beside me because her big paw is wrapped around my head. I cuddle into it with a hum and enjoy the sparks playing with my hair. It¡¯s almost normal. It would be if I hadn¡¯t panicked in the middle of the night and released my hug-lioness to cuddle with. And Lili. That nightmare was¡­

    Anyway. I feel a probing snout press into my blanket-fortress and giggle at the soft purring coming from the other side. I peel my eyes open and find myself peeking at my big softy over pink hair. Wait.

    I squeeze my arms, or rather whatever I¡¯m hugging, and hear a soft squeak. The pink moves and a small red gem comes into view. The pink is not hair, I realize, as two bleary eyes open and I feel two somethings flick my legs.

    ¡°Squee!¡± Mesprit coos.

    I press her into my body and wiggle.

    ¡°Morning,¡± I manage to mumble.

    ¡°Good Morning?¡± a ladylike voice speaks into my head ¡°That¡¯s all you got to say after disappearing on me for two centuries?¡±

    I giggle.

    ¡°Yup. Too early for anything complicated.¡±

    ¡°Hmmpf!¡±

    The voice projected into my head is at great odds with the tiny squeak of the pink-grey blob in my arms. I respond by hugging her again. Her, even though she doesn¡¯t have a biological gender. That¡¯s what she told me, anyway. Her tails wrap around my hips as the tiny arms gently pat the back of my neck.

    ¡°Better?¡± she asks when I eventually let go.

    ¡°Much,¡± I say.

    She nods and leaves the blanket with a tiny pop. I flinch at the gust of fresh air penetrating my flimsy pyjamas before the soft cover falls back on top of me. Lulu purrs and nuzzles my face before standing up, her paw using my body to stand on of all things.

    ¡°Oof! Lulu, heavy!¡±

    She snorts.

    ¡°No, not fat! Heavy! You¡¯re a big pile of lean muscle, but still big!¡±

    She huffs and stands up, making to walk away but immediately finds herself trapped in my small bedroom. The house I had in Jubilife Village was much more comfortable for her. It would probably be best to move out into the wilderness until I managed to get a job. Oh. Right. School.

    ¡°You get up, too!¡± Mesprit says.

    I narrow my eyes at her.

    ¡°So we can play!¡±

    I grin but then I shake my head.

    ¡°Not right now, Mes. I,¡± a yawn interrupts me ¡°I gotta deal with all this¡­ life stuff first.¡±

    ¡°Blegh!¡± she pokes out her tongue ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at Lake Verity.¡±

    I roll my eyes as she pops away. It seems my absence wasn¡¯t too bad, at least. Well, she knew I was trying to get back home. And she knew how much I wanted to see my family again. I thanked her for visiting me as I crawled out of bed. Lulu made a pawing motion at the door, thankfully not pressing against it. She might just break it out of its frame with sheer muscle.

    ¡°Sorry, girl. I think it¡¯s best if you stay in your ball for the time being. This is my home but it¡¯s also just kinda small for you.¡±

    She whines.

    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll look for a better place once I get the chance. If my parents don¡¯t clog me with too much school, I might be able to get a job and rent a larger flat somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Grawl?¡± she tilts her head.

    ¡°I know I came back to see them again. Doesn¡¯t mean I want you to suffer for it. We can visit as long as we live close enough.¡±

    Lulu nods in understanding. I keep her out as I try to find something to wear. The Survey Corps uniform is on the ground in all its dirty glory. I¡¯ll have to get down to the river and¡­ no, wait. We have a washing machine. Will it hold out? It should, right? Maybe I¡¯ll tell Mum to wash it on care settings¡­ I have another four sets in my satchel so it¡¯s not an issue.

    Speaking of, that would look weird on modern clothes, right? No, I know it looks weird on modern clothes. A grin comes to my face as I remember the first week in Jubilife Village. They didn¡¯t give me a uniform until I managed that ¡®impossible¡¯ mission to get into the Corps. I had to wear the satchel on the only set of clothes I had: A T-shirt and jeans shorts with trainers. That¡­ might be a good choice for today. Just simply¡­ coming home.

    I climb over Lulu and find my way to the closet. I have to push the lazy oaf back a little to fully open it and freeze when I see the options. There are a few dresses and skirts hanging on a rack. I barely remember most of them. I never was much for fashion. Mel had picked them out and told me I would look good in them. Underwear is in a drawer below. T-shirts have a stack underneath those, strap-tops beside them. Another drawer has pants, both short and long, mostly jeans. A few sets of yoga pants make me cringe. The exercises ended up helping when I had to run from wild Pok¨¦mon out for my blood but still¡­ Mel¡¯s obsession with looking sexy never sat well with me. Even more so now that I was mentally 35. I push back the dread at the thought of going back to school and force a smile on my face. I¡¯m going to see my friends again. I just hope we¡¯ll still get along¡­

    After getting dressed, I recall Lulu and make my way into the kitchen. Mum is the only one there. I can¡¯t see Dad, Rob, Geodude or Machop. A yawn interrupts me right as I want to say hello and Mum turns around.

    ¡°Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Yup. Mostly. I cuddled with Lulu and Mes.¡±

    She looks puzzled.

    ¡°Mes?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mesprit. She already teleported out. Must have sensed me sometime yesterday. She showed up in the middle of the night.¡±

    ¡°A¡­ Pok¨¦mon? I never heard of that species.¡±

    ¡°Not a species. Lake Guardian. Is only the one¡­ What¡¯s for breakfast?¡±

    Mum looked at me dubiously before shrugging.

    ¡°Cereal, right now, or pancakes if you can wait a bit.¡±

    ¡°Pancakes sounds nice.¡±

    I grab for the fridge and pour myself some milk while Mum gets started on mixing the batter. I simply watched her for a few minutes. At some point, Lili walks in, her leaves wet and holding a towel. She¡¯s softly patting water off her body. A chirp greets me.

    ¡°Morning Lili. You good?¡±

    Another chirp and she gives me a slightly wet hug.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡±

    I look her over.

    ¡°Did you take a shower?¡±

    She perks up and shows off with a twirl. I laugh.

    ¡°Oh, no, no. There¡¯s no Pok¨¦mon trapped in there. It¡¯s all technology. I told you about it, remember?¡±

    She tilts her head and pats her chin. Another chirp and she¡¯s back to her playful self.

    ¡°She dripped water all over the hallway,¡± Mum says ¡°I had to show her how to use a towel. Did you not keep up your hygiene¡­¡± she trails off.

    ¡°We did. Just, not with technology. Rivers or water Pok¨¦mon were the only options. Didn¡¯t even have soap in the wilderness.¡±

    Mum smiles wryly.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back,¡± she says.

    ¡°So am I, Mum. So am I.¡±

    Silence falls over the room as the pancakes sizzle. It takes a few minutes before she places a plate stacked high in front of me.

    ¡°Lili said she doesn¡¯t need anything but if¡­¡±

    I shake my head.

    ¡°Lulu will be fine for a bit. I¡¯ll give her something later.¡±

    ¡°Really? And how do you plan to do that?¡±

    ¡°I got a whole lot of berries and rations in my satchel. Or I can just buy something. We¡¯ll see.¡±

    I dig into my food.

    ¡°Right. Say, Zoe. I didn¡¯t want to put too much pressure on you yesterday but¡­ you¡¯re going back to school, right?¡±

    I nod hesitantly while swallowing my pancake.

    ¡°Yes and no? I¡¯m not sure where I¡¯m gonna end up but I¡¯ll go and see. I¡­ do miss my friends. It¡¯s just a little weird to go back there, you know?¡±

    She shakes her head.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know. Tell me about it.¡±

    ¡°Mum. I¡¯m 35. I may not look it but I¡¯m an adult. And I feel it might be¡­ annoying? I wanted to try being a child again. I just don¡¯t know if I can keep it up.¡±

    She smiles softly.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. As long as you get your degree.¡±

    ¡°I can probably get one for the dex.¡±

    ¡°The what?¡±

    ¡°I wrote a Pok¨¦dex with Laventon and Akari. I still have it.¡±

    I make to pull out the first one from my satchel before remembering it¡¯s in my room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you later. Point is, I can get a job with the Lab or the Rangers with my experience.¡±

    She sighs.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any credentials, Zoe.¡±

    ¡°But I do. I have my Pok¨¦mon and my research notes.¡±

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t credentials. You need at least four badges to even apply to the Rangers. And the lab won¡¯t give you a position with less than six. Unless you¡¯re a Lab Trainer, in which case you¡¯ll be sponsored to get badges.¡±

    I groan.

    ¡°Really? It¡¯s all badges? Maybe I¡¯ll just stomp the circuit real quick. What¡¯s the record for that?¡±

    Mum blinks.

    ¡°It¡¯s 98 days. Which is how long it takes to walk straight from city to city. You¡¯ll have to schedule your matches perfectly and if you miss one, you lose two weeks at least.¡±

    ¡°Can you get more than one match per day?¡±

    ¡°Zoe!¡± she raises her voice ¡°Please take this seriously!¡±

    I meet her eyes.

    ¡°I am. Mes won¡¯t have any issues with teleporting me around. She might even join my team if I spin it well. And from what I remember about Cynthia and saw from her Garchomp¡­ I¡¯ll get through with just Lili, Lulu, and myself.¡±

    She presses her lips together before letting out a sigh.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll wait to see your match with Cynthia. But you¡¯re not going out there and fighting Pok¨¦mon yourself.¡±

    ¡°I will be sparring with my team.¡±

    Mum gives me a stare.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°It¡¯s important to stay in form. I¡¯ve taken a Sludge Bomb from Arceus. I can deal with a bruise.¡±

    ¡°Zoe,¡± her voice is low and quiet ¡°Please don¡¯t get yourself killed.¡±

    I take her hand and meet her eyes.

    ¡°I won¡¯t, Mum, I promise.¡±

    Lili puts her arm-leaf on top of our hands and chirps. I laugh.

    ¡°Right. Lili will protect me, too. And Lulu. And any other Pok¨¦mon I might catch.¡±

    Mum smiles.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll trust you. I just don¡¯t want to lose you ever again.¡±

    I keep my mouth shut lest I say something stupid. Instead, I give her a smile and go back to my pancakes. They are just as fluffy as I remember and the butter and syrup give them that sweet, sweet juicy note.

    ¡°With pancakes as good as this, I¡¯ll never be able to leave.¡±

    Mum chuckles.

    ¡°Why, thank you. Now, about school¡­¡±

    ¡°Right. What day is it, anyways?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably on my phone but I didn¡¯t check yesterday.¡±

    She sighs.

    ¡°It¡¯s Wednesday.¡±

    I check the clock. It¡¯s 8:47 in the morning.

    ¡°So I already missed first period today.¡±

    ¡°You did. I¡¯m thinking we¡¯ll let you rest a little more. You can get back to it on Monday. What do you say?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± I stop myself ¡°No, actually that¡¯s a good idea. I need to find a place where Lulu can exercise. She¡¯s not used to staying in her ball all day. I need to have that match with Cynthia. And I need to see how much weaker I got.¡±

    ¡°Weaker?¡± Mum looks worried.

    ¡°Yeah. Time travel isn¡¯t easy on the soul. I can just barely get the stamina for a Play Rough. And that¡¯s a physical move so it relies on your body to reach the target. If I tried a Flamethrower, I¡¯d probably fail. I hope I can still pull off a Volt Switch. That¡¯s one of my most important moves to dodge.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ really don¡¯t follow.¡±

    I give her a smile.

    ¡°Wanna come along and watch me train?¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should find a secluded place for that, Zoe? Otherwise, people will freak out. I know I am.¡±

    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll ask Cynthia. The top of Mount Coronet should always be an option but I won¡¯t be able to bring you along with a Teleport. Never figured that one out.¡±

    ¡°Go eat your breakfast, girl. I¡¯ll do the dishes.¡±

    Lili chirps and moves to help her. I listen with half an ear as Mum shows her the dishwasher and how to use it. And what not to put in it, like that pan my partner was just enthusiastically holding.

    I have a lot of stuff to do. With the changes in landscape and the cities, it would be a little risky to just Teleport to my usual spots. Some of them should still be fine, though. Like Lake Verity. I carefully tug on my soul. The Legend Plate responds a little slower than I¡¯m used to. And it took such a long time to get it to be near-instant. Now I¡¯ll have to re-learn my reaction times, especially when swapping types for defence and offence.

    I channel the Psychic TE into the beginnings of a Teleport and quickly cancel the move as I realize how far away I am from finishing it. A second attempt targets the chair to my left instead of Lake Verity. This one seems possible. It takes some focus and a few seconds of channelling before my vision swaps. The tiny pop makes Mum turn around. I smile and put the last bit of my pancakes in my mouth. Good. I can still carry stuff that I¡¯m holding with me.

    Lili is a great help, distracting Mum by opening the cupboards all over the place and chirping for explanations. Microwave, fridge, electric scale, and a few other devices keep her going and going as I go back to my room and check on my phone.

    A pang of guilt hits me as I pull up my messenger again. I barely checked it yesterday, just looking at the messages from my family but my friends were just as worried. Mel, or Melanie, is the first one I check on. I felt closest to her before, as far as I remember. The first few messages are jokes about me skipping class to get some cute clothes or visit contests. There¡¯s a drastic cut four days in where the tone is worried. One message reads:

    Hey where u at? School just said ur missing :( We r worried. Come back soon?

    My heart breaks a little. She slowly returns to a more jovial tone as the messages get rarer. There¡¯s one per day where she poses with her Lumineon in a contest outfit. I smile as I take in all the designs. She¡¯s really just that skilled. Some of them I saw her in on stage but a few are new. Probably for the new season that starts¡­ I check the date. In three weeks. There are only three weeks of school before the summer break. Holy shit.

    I take out my notebook and start taking notes on what I still have to do. I check my messenger app with half an eye in the meantime. Sara was pretty consistent with asking for my whereabouts. She was making some comments about me running off to train in secret for the next Gym Circuit so I could beat her class record of two badges. There are questions about the Pok¨¦mon I was catching and if the training was going well. And if I needed help. Her messages make me smile.

    The next one is¡­ a bit tough for me to go through. Min. My best friend up to the end of our first journey. We had started our first Gym Circuit together at 10 years old, making the trip along Route 203 and Oreburgh Gate after setting out from Jubilife. Almost everyone got there to start on their first journey so it was supposed to be easy. About 90% of first-timers made it to Oreburgh with enough willpower left to get the Coal Badge from Roark. Or try, at least. 60% get it sometime in their first year. Min and I just barely succeeded. And then we fought about going for the journey to Eterna City. We had two months left but I wasn¡¯t really looking forward to trying a Grass Gym with Geodude. She was confident, somehow, that her Diglett would succeed.

    In the end, we made the trip. When I gave her my ¡®Told you so¡¯ after failing the Badge, we fought. Hard. It took two months before we even talked again. We are ¡®friends¡¯, now, but there wasn¡¯t really that deep of a connection before I got whisked back in time. That makes it all the more painful to read her desperation as she couldn¡¯t reach me. My vision grows blurry as I read about her going out to look for me if I don¡¯t come back by the end of the school year. She was training again and even caught a second Pok¨¦mon. A Ponita. The pictures are beautiful. I¡­ Yes. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing her again.

    I wipe my tears. My fingers hover over the screen for a second. Then I begin typing.

    Sorry, Bestie. I had no reception where I was. Your new friend looks beautiful. You¡¯ll have to introduce us. I¡¯m back to school on Monday. See you soon xoxo

    I wait a full twenty seconds before hitting send. It feels right for her to be the first to know, after my family. I quickly write something for Mel and Sara as well, letting them know I¡¯m back. I have to wipe my tears again. They¡¯re tears of happiness, now.

    I scroll down further. A few more of my classmates sent a message or two after hearing I went missing but nobody else kept it up for all that time. I can¡¯t really fault them. I wasn¡¯t the biggest social butterfly. The very bottom has a name I haven¡¯t seen on my phone. Arceus. I grin.

    Hey buddy, I¡¯m back. I¡¯ll come visit if you need a hug.

    The familiar chime plays. The same notes they had used to talk to me in the past. Instead of the usual black screen with golden writing, it¡¯s a simple message in my app, though. I grin as I read it.

    Welcome back, Zoe. Thank you for the offer. I hope you will find happiness.

    What¡¯s with the changes to my phone? I ask.

    Giratina has made some changes. Please do not bother me too much. I can still see.

    ¡°Ah, right. I almost forgot,¡± I say.

    The chime plays.

    It is no bother. This application is annoying whenever you use it. I would appreciate you not doing so unless in an emergency.

    ¡°Got it, Arceus. We¡¯ll talk some other time.¡±

    I give them a second to respond. When a much more nostalgic chime plays, I nearly jump. That wasn¡¯t Arceus. I scroll up to see Min has responded.

    U!!!!!!! today! after school! the usual place! my treat.

    I¡¯m confused for a moment before remembering how we always go to Vanilluxe¡¯s Dream in the summer to get ice cream. It takes a few minutes to pull up the schedule and see I have until 2:30 p.m. to do other stuff.

    Invite Mel and Sara?

    I send.

    K

    I smile. Seems like the afternoon is settled. Then the phone rings. It¡¯s Cynthia. I pick up.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± I greet her.

    ¡°Morning Zoe. You¡¯re not back in school, yet, huh?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Gonna go there on Monday.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Hey, when do we want to battle?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I mean, I¡¯m pretty free. No clue what your schedule¡¯s like.¡±

    ¡°Right. I got some time this afternoon. How about 3 p.m.?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Hey, wanna come eat ice cream with my friends?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    I freeze for a moment at her enthusiastic reply.

    ¡°Okay. We¡¯re meeting at Vanilluxe¡¯s Dream at 2:30. They¡¯ll probably freak out but it¡¯s gonna be useful if you can confirm my story.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good choice. I wonder what I should get? Do they have any special types?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Sorry. I honestly don¡¯t remember. It¡¯s been 20 years for me.¡±

    ¡°Right, right. I forgot. Anyway, I¡¯ll be there.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to find a secluded place for our match, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll sort that out, no worries. See you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, see you.¡±

    Before she hangs up I can hear a quiet ¡®squee¡¯ from the other side. Whatever that was about¡­ I scroll back to the conversation with Min.

    I¡¯m bringing a friend

    She doesn¡¯t respond so she probably got busted for being on her phone in the middle of class. Then my phone rings again. It¡¯s Min.

    I hesitate for a moment before picking up.

    ¡°Hi,¡± I say ¡°Aren¡¯t you in class?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are,¡± an older woman¡¯s voice comes from the other end ¡°Who am I talking to?¡±

    My eyes widen.

    ¡°Mrs Reed!¡± I grin ¡°Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is. Now, who might you be that you recognize me over the phone?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Zoe.¡±

    The silence is telling.

    ¡°Is this a joke?¡±

    ¡°No. And I¡¯m sorry for disappearing. It¡¯s¡­ well, complicated. I¡¯ll be back in class on Monday. I promise.¡±

    There is a deep sigh on the other end.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine¡­ You are fine, right?¡±

    Her voice has taken a very worried tone.

    ¡°Yes. Absolutely. Now that I made it home, I¡¯m better than ever.¡±

    ¡°That is good. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you again, Zoe.¡±

    There are gasps on the other side of the call.

    ¡°I fear I have to continue the lesson, now. I will talk to your parents, just to make sure.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Have fun!¡±

    ¡°You too, Zoe. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Hey, wait!¡± someone shouts in the background, then the call is cancelled. That had to be Min. Well, I¡¯ll see her later. A knock interrupts my thoughts and Mum peeks into my room.

    ¡°Who were you talking to, sweetie?¡±

    ¡°Mrs Reed. And Cynthia before that.¡±

    ¡°Your teacher called you?¡±

    ¡°I was texting with Min. She was in class. Mrs Reed must have taken her phone and then called back.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I see. I was planning to call the school soon, anyway. Might as well do it now¡­ Anyway, I wanted to ask what your plans are for today?¡±

    ¡°Go out and run with Lulu for a bit. I¡¯m meeting Min, Mel and Sara for ice cream at 2:30. Cynthia is coming, too. After that, we¡¯re having that friendly match.¡±

    ¡°And what about me watching?¡±

    I can see a hint of excitement in her eyes. Was she¡­ oh. Right. She wants to see the Champ fight. It¡¯s not really about me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have work?¡± I ask.

    Mum shakes her head.

    ¡°I took off the rest of the week.¡±

    I smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell her to call you when she knows where the match happens so you can be there.¡±

    ¡°Okay. What about lunch?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just eat something out in the wild. Together with my buddies.¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    She hesitates only a moment before sitting down next to me for a hug. Lili follows and joins in. This is nice. I could spend a lot of time like this.

 005 Exercise

    Oreburgh is located in a spacious valley in the Coronet Highlands. It extends to the north until hitting another wall of mountains. The area around the Mine is cleared out and flattened. That¡¯s where the city is. A man called Kochika started building the tunnel now known as Oreburgh Gate after I helped him out in securing the area. He wanted to dig up more ore but found the valley just below the Coronet Highlands after a few months of work. That¡¯s why you can now go straight from Jubilife to Oreburgh.

    If you go north you¡¯ll get to the Cycling Road built over the valley. It¡¯s a straight connection between Eterna City and Oreburgh. Below, bushes and trees line the path leading to Wayward Cave. I haven¡¯t heard much about it other than to stay away but that was before I was whisked back in time. I never really went deep into any caves in my two decades of exploring so I don''t know what it was like back then. The Coronet Highlands with all the peaks and valleys are difficult enough to navigate.

    I¡¯m making my way along the roads of Oreburgh to the northern gate. I manage to not look too weird with my satchel used as a belt instead of wrapped around my waist. There¡¯s a decently sized area of mostly grassland and hills with not too many dangers around. The Rangers still stop me for a few minutes until I let Lulu out and tell them I¡¯m just taking her out for a walk. I can see a few of them flinching as she stares them down.

    We make our way up north further into the valley before I climb on her back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I say and she zooms off. The wind whips my hair, threatening to loosen the braid but I¡¯ve had enough practice to make one that holds. I spot a few Ponyta looking up as we run past them but we keep enough distance to avoid scaring them. The other Pok¨¦mon mostly hide as we pass. I can spot a few Geodude and Kricketot here and there but nothing too interesting.

    We find a clear spot and I let out Lili as well. She chirps happily and does a twirl before settling down. I reach for my satchel and take out an empty notebook as well as some berries and water flasks. We dig in as I start to think. Lulu carefully nibbles on her Sitrus berry while Lili squeezes the Oran into her face. There¡¯s a tiny mouth there to sip up the juices. I take a bite of my Leppa and relish the juicy fruit.

    ¡°So,¡± I begin ¡°How are you two doing?¡±

    Lili chirps happily before going back to her snack.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re getting along with Mum. What about you, Lulu?¡±

    The lioness growls with her head tilted slightly away from me.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just how things are in a lot of places. We¡¯ll have to get a bigger home for you to spread your legs.¡±

    She meets my eyes and nods.

    ¡°Anything else? We haven¡¯t had that much time to see the city but there are some rules about letting out Pok¨¦mon inside town. It¡¯s got to do with getting badges, I think.¡±

    I frown.

    ¡°We¡¯ll probably have to get a few of them.¡±

    Lulu mrowls a question.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s Pok¨¦mon battling. The competitive stuff that Akari was getting into. Not like in the wilderness. No fighting to death or capture. We¡¯ll have to adjust our tactics. Know when to stop and all that.¡±

    Lili¡¯s chirp is annoyed. I grin.

    ¡°Yes, you too. Mostly. We¡¯ll get a good idea of how far we can go later today. Cynthia is the strongest professional trainer of Sinnoh. We¡¯re going to fight her. Battle her, I mean.¡±

    Lili nods in understanding.

    ¡°I want to figure out how strong I am, as well. I¡¯m gonna try to Teleport to Lake Verity. Right inside Mesprit¡¯s cave. You guys just stay here. I¡¯ll come back.¡±

    Lulu growls and places her paw on my knee. Lili chirps and puts down her berry before standing up. She points at the Luxray and then sweeps her arm-leaf. A much softer growl is her answer.

    I chuckle.

    ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll take you with me. Go get some exercise, Lulu.¡±

    She nods and stands up. I watch her stretch and shoot off, not before giving me another look. Lili stands before me expectantly, holding out her arms. I take them and sit down cross-legged.

    ¡°I¡¯m going for it,¡± I say with a nod.

    She chirps.

    I take a deep breath and pull on the Legend Plate in my soul. This time, I¡¯m going much more carefully. Slowly, Psychic Type Energy flows into my body. I imagine the cave where Mesprit lives and start channelling the energy. Bit by bit, never running out or filling up, never slowing down the flow. It takes a minute before we start levitating a few centimetres above the grass. Lili¡¯s eyes are closed and I follow suit. More energy flows into the move. Still not enough. I don¡¯t know how long it takes but eventually, I feel it take hold. Lili quickly enters her Pok¨¦ Ball before we disappear.

    There is a silent pop as I waver, then drop to the ground. Hard ground. Rock. Not grass. I open my eyes to near-complete darkness. Only the slight pink glow of my still active Psychic TE lets me see a little bit of my surroundings. Lili pops out of her Ball and looks around before chirping happily. I smile.

    ¡°Yup. I did it. How long did that take?¡±

    She tilts one of her arm-leafs back and forth with a few chirps.

    ¡°Huh. Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The voice beamed into my mind is familiar even if the force used to do so makes me stagger for a moment.

    ¡°Oops? Sorry!¡± Mesprit says.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not as strong as before but I can take it.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°So I really took almost half an hour to Teleport here?¡±

    A bright pink orb starts to form above us, showing my friend hovering a few steps to the side.

    ¡°You did! I had to hide for so long just so I could surprise you!¡±

    I grin.

    ¡°Hey, Mes. Thanks again for tonight.¡±

    Lili chirps at her.

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    She twirls. The four pink hair-like growths extending from her head flutter a little in the movement while her two tails trail behind in a spiral.

    ¡°So, wanna play?¡±

    I jump up and shoot towards her with a Quick Attack. I¡¯m just fast enough to catch her in a hug.

    ¡°A little,¡± I say ¡°But first, I have some questions.¡±

    Mesprit looks up at me from within the hug. She blinks slowly. I laugh.

    ¡°Right. What happened during the Red Night?¡±

    She cringes.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t fun. Cyllene¡¯s great-grandson did a Volo. But he trapped us and forced us to make the Red Chain.¡±

    ¡°Ouch.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t too bad. Giratina ended up kidnapping him to the Distortion World for a bit. I don¡¯t know what happened after but things got back to normal.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    ¡°Play now?¡±

    I blink.

    ¡°One more thing. You guys never came to meet me before I came back. Was that hard?¡±

    Her face loses the playful grin.

    ¡°It would¡¯ve been stupid. Don¡¯t ask stupid questions.¡±

    She¡¯s out of my embrace with a pop and boops me on the head.

    ¡°Play now!¡±

    I laugh as she starts zipping through the cave. Lili jumps up and chirps aggressively. She stands two steps in front of me, facing Mesprit. I grin and pull on another set of TE. One of my favourites: Electric. We square off for a few seconds as Mesprit creates some more glowing orbs all around the cave. On an unspoken signal, all three of us start moving.

    Lili rushes forwards, Grass TE wrapping her leaves. It charges up slowly as she falls into twirling steps. Fighting TE runs through her body in a Victory Dance. Mesprit has already produced a small orb of pure Psychic TE. I can see it readying to shoot a Psybeam. A Volt Switch propels me in front of the still-dancing Lili and I catch the attack with my right hand. I get pushed back, my feet grinding on the ground. My left hand is extended to Lili as I channel a Light Screen to wrap around her body.

    Mesprit scoffs as the Psybeam cuts off. Lili shoots around me, almost as fast as my Quick Attack, and a Leaf Blade lashes out at the floating Lake Spirit. The attack just barely grazes Mesprit¡¯s chest as she pops away in a purple bubble.

    I channel more Electric TE in a Charge as I hear her popping up behind me. This time, the orb is a dark blue, nearly black. I roll to the side as the Shadow Ball passes by. Lili slaps it out of the way not even stumbling in her steps. She jumps and connects a Poison Jab at Mesprit only to take a point-blank Psychic. I hear her wail and throw all my energy into a Thunderbolt. The lightning cracks through the cave, impacting my target. Mesprit cries in pain and tries to channel another move but the electricity breaks her concentration. Before Lili can capitalize on the opening, Mesprit pops away in another Teleport.

    I whip around and lash out with my arm. I don¡¯t even have time to channel a move, simply slapping her away from my back. It¡¯s not enough. Another Shadow Ball shoots at and then through me and I drop. My muscles spasm in pain. I pull on my Psychic TE for a quick Heal Pulse, just barely getting back on my legs to dodge the second Shadow Ball.

    Just then, Lili cries out a challenge. A huge amount of Grass TE swirls around her right arm-leaf and Mesprit narrows her eyes. The stare-off lasts a full three seconds until I break the stalemate with a rapid Thunder Shock. Mesprit just barely manages to pop away in another Teleport but Lili immediately swivels on her heels and lashes out. The Grass TE unleashes as she jumps, the glowing light of the sun momentarily blinding me.

    When I can see again, she stands behind Mesprit, the lake spirit hanging in the air upside down. A few drops of blood hit the ground but the psychic lights still glow so I¡¯m not worried. Just as I thought, Mesprit shakes her head and makes a twirl in the air.

    ¡°Fun!¡± she shouts as she holds her head wound.

    I shake my head.

    ¡°Right. That wasn¡¯t as fun as I thought. I¡¯m a lot weaker.¡±

    Lili chirps.

    ¡°Thanks. I guess I¡¯m gonna stick with support until I¡¯m back up to speed.¡±

    ¡°Good! I¡¯ll help!¡± Mesprit giggles.

    I smile as I reach for my satchel.

    ¡°Let me get you fixed up.¡±

    It takes only a few minutes and a super potion for each of us to get back up to full stamina. We sit back down, Lili leaning on my shoulder and Mesprit in my lap.

    ¡°So, how have you been, Mes?¡± I ask.

    She wiggles her head into my chest.

    ¡°Okay. It was boring. But better than before. Shorter.¡±

    ¡°Because you knew I would come back.¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°So¡­ you want to hang out with me?¡±

    ¡°Have to train you. Again¡­¡±

    Lili chirps in amusement. I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Not like that¡¯s going to be a problem.¡±

    ¡°You learn slow.¡±

    I sigh.

    ¡°Compared to a super brain like you, yeah. But I didn¡¯t forget how to use the moves. I just don¡¯t have the energy. It¡¯s just gonna be exercising to build my stamina up again.¡±

    I feel Mesprit poking me psychically and let her in deeper. She digs through my soul and memories as she has done so often before. I feel her focus on the journey through the Distortion World. The day after that is quickly disregarded.

    ¡°I see it. Yes. Exercise. Teleport a lot. Use barriers. Hmm¡­ Telekinesis?¡±

    Lili bops her head and chirps. I nod.

    ¡°Yeah, you just want me to focus on Psychic again. It¡¯s a decent idea but we¡¯ve been through this discussion.¡±

    She frowns.

    ¡°Visit.¡±

    I blink.

    ¡°Yeah. That could work. I¡¯ll come by¡­ every two days? How¡¯s that sound?¡±

    ¡°Every day.¡±

    I shake my head.

    ¡°Probably won¡¯t make it, though I will if I have the time. I¡¯m gonna be busy, soon. Gotta go back to school and I¡¯ll probably have to get some badges.¡±

    ¡°Then I visit you. Sometimes.¡±

    I laugh.

    ¡°You can come visit whenever you want. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    She nuzzles back into me and grips my hand. Lili wraps her arms around us and chirps happily. I lean into her and simply enjoy the moment.

    I don¡¯t know how much time has passed when we move again but my back hurts a little from the weird position. Mesprit wriggles free as I shift back and forth trying to get rid of the pain. She settles on top of my head while Lili prods around my spine with the tips of her arm-leaves. I groan as my vertebrae pop back into place.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Thanks, Lili,¡± I say.

    She chirps happily.

    ¡°So, I think we should go back.¡±

    I check my phone. It¡¯s just past noon.

    ¡°Get some food and stuff. See what Lulu has been up to.¡±

    ¡°Slow,¡± Mesprit says ¡°I¡¯ll bring you.¡±

    ¡°Where we came here from,¡± I say.

    She nods. I feel her rooting through my memories again. When she finds the place it only takes a few seconds and we¡¯re back on Route 206. The Cycling Road no longer throws a shadow on the place. I look around and see a Pok¨¦mon holding the remains of Lili¡¯s berry. It must have just found the courage to walk up to it because the juices are still running down its fangs. It has a light-purple, almost pink carapace with two big pincers and two horn-like ears extending from its head. The tail is topped by a large stinger and there are two blue wings extending between its arms and legs. A Gligar.

    His eyes carefully observe me before going up to my head and landing on Mesprit. He pulls in his tongue and gulps. Then Lili stands up and his eyes focus on her. I can see him slowly move a leg underneath his body getting ready to run. She moves slowly and keeps her arm-leaves behind her back. There are a few soft chirps and the Gligar¡¯s eyes widen a fraction. He looks around her legs and meets my eyes for a split second. I smile.

    ¡°Hello there, little guy,¡± I say as Lili sits down next to him. She takes the remains of the berry and puts them back in his claws. He looks between them and Lili a few times before swallowing the rest in a big bite.

    ¡°Were you hungry?¡± I ask.

    He looks between Lili and me, then nods.

    ¡°That¡¯s not good. That you have to go out at day to find food¡­ What happened?¡±

    He shrinks in on himself. Mesprit pats my head.

    ¡°He¡¯s starving,¡± she says.

    ¡°I see that.¡±

    That makes him curl up his tail and arms. Lili carefully extends an arm and strokes his back. I hear a few whimpers from the little ball. My hand finds another Oran Berry from my satchel and I crawl over to him.

    ¡°Here. Eat.¡±

    He looks up at me, then the berry. One claw carefully extends at Lili¡¯s prompting. Then he snatches the berry and starts nibbling on it. I nod.

    ¡°Right. I think we¡¯re all hungry so I¡¯ll just get something for everyone.¡±

    Some rations and a pile of berries later, we¡¯re all full and lying in the grass. Gligar sits a little more open next to Lili. I meet his eyes.

    ¡°You could come with us, you know,¡± I say ¡°If you want.¡±

    His head snaps to me. He looks at Lili, then Mesprit.

    ¡°Gli¡­,¡± he whispers.

    I laugh.

    ¡°No worries. You don¡¯t need to be strong. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m aiming to become the next champ¡­ Way too much work.¡±

    ¡°Gligar?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Yeah, no. I don¡¯t care too much about being ¡®the strongest¡¯ or something. I just want to¡­ enjoy life. With my family.¡±

    ¡°Gar¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not my family. But we can become friends. And if it doesn¡¯t work out, you can set out on your own again.¡±

    He rubs his pincers for a moment, then looks up. There is still some hesitation in his eyes.

    ¡°Gligar,¡± he says.

    ¡°Alright. Then choose your ball.¡±

    I pull out one of each of my handmade Pok¨¦ Balls and set them down in the grass. A standard one, a Great Ball, a Hyper Ball, a Gigaton Ball, and a Jet Ball. Gligar blinks at them. He turns to Lili and asks something. Lili answers with a chirp. He nods and points at the standard Pok¨¦ Ball.

    ¡°This one?¡± I ask.

    He nods.

    I put the others away and press Gligar¡¯s ball into him. It opens and he is pulled inside. The ball shakes once in my hand before it seals with a few sparks. I flick the lock and he pops back out.

    ¡°Gligar,¡± he says with a nod ¡°Gli.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I say ¡°Then, welcome to the team. Just get used to us, for now. We¡¯ll start training tomorrow.¡±

    He frowns.

    ¡°Gli!¡±

    I chuckle.

    ¡°Well, we already did some sparring and we have a match later today. You won¡¯t be fighting there but you can see how you like our strategies.¡±

    A roar interrupts us. Gligar flinches and tries to jump back to his ball but I put it away with a laugh.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s just Lulu. Don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯s with us.¡±

    As if planned a huge Thunder arcs over some trees in the distance. There are some cries that sound like Ponyta and a pained scream. I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Mes, can you make sure Lulu doesn¡¯t eat them? I¡¯ve got perfectly fine rations here.¡±

    Mesprit nods and pops away. Three seconds later she returns with a confused Lulu. Gligar flinches as the huge lioness appears. She growls a question and I laugh.

    ¡°No, Lulu. I¡¯ve got food right here.¡±

    She whines and I sigh.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been through this, sweetie. No eating wild Pok¨¦mon unless there¡¯s no other option.¡±

    She yips.

    ¡°Sorry. Yeah, our little spar took a little longer than expected. I¡¯m not as fit as I thought.¡±

    There¡¯s a growl and Gligar whines. That makes Lulu finally notice him. She tilts her hand with a question.

    ¡°Yes, Lulu. He¡¯s with us, for now. Gligar, meet Lulu. One of my earliest companions. She¡¯s carried me through these lands a lot of times.¡±

    My big cat sits up proudly.

    ¡°She¡¯s also got a really soft heart beneath all that bristly fur. You¡¯ll learn to like her, I promise.¡±

    Gligar stands up to his full height. I see his stinger shake nervously as he introduces himself.

    Lulu nods at him, a serious expression on her face.

    ¡°We found him snacking on the remains of Lili¡¯s berry. He¡¯s been going hungry for over two weeks, now. Something about his nest no longer being safe.¡±

    Gligar shrinks in on himself. Lulu lies down and nuzzles her nose into his chest. She growls softly and he perks up. There¡¯s a nod and they separate.

    I clap my hands.

    ¡°Good! Now that everyone gets along, here¡¯s some food for you, Lulu.¡±

    We take our time enjoying the rest of our lunch. It¡¯s still just my simple rations and berries but we¡¯re used to them. Gligar is a little off-put by the taste but follows the lead of the older Pok¨¦mon. I remember to check my phone when Mesprit points it out and see some more messages from¡­ nearly everyone in my class. They¡¯re all asking questions, some veiled in variations of welcome back, some just straight up ¡®where were u?¡¯. I send some non-committal answers and put the phone away as the sound of wings reaches my ears.

    Lili is already looking up. Lulu has heard as well but she¡¯s still talking to Gligar. Mesprit doesn¡¯t seem to care. I search the sky and quickly spot a decently large Staraptor. Not alpha-Pok¨¦mon size but still big enough to carry two people. Its grey and black feathers form a zig-zagging pattern across the wings which is continued with white and black on its chest. A black-and-red comb reaches out over its beak. And someone is riding on its back.

    I wave as I notice them looking my way and the Pok¨¦mon swerves downwards. It quickly lands a few metres away. A glance at Gligar reveals him staring suspiciously at the newcomer. The rider dismounts and pats Staraptor¡¯s side. He wears sturdy black leather clothes with a red vest and red boots. The cap shows the symbol of the Sinnoh Rangers. A stylized Pok¨¦ Ball in gold. Two of those hang on his belt.

    The Ranger walks up to us with a scowl on his face, carefully eyeing the Pok¨¦mon. Well, mostly Lulu.

    ¡°Hello, Trainer, do you have a minute?¡± he asks.

    I nod.

    ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯m Zoe and these are my buddies. Lulu, Lili, Gligar, and Mes.¡±

    He blinks at Mesprit but shakes his head and turns back to me.

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m Richard, Pok¨¦mon Ranger stationed in Eterna City. There was a disturbance around here. A lightning strike, most likely a powerful Thunder. Did you have anything to do with it?¡±

    Lulu gives a soft whine as I chuckle.

    ¡°Yeah, that was Lulu. I left her running around and she got a little excited.¡±

    The lioness mumbles an apology. I can see the Staraptor getting ready to jump forward to protect his trainer and get up. I walk over to Lulu and rub the side of her head.

    The ranger narrows his eyes.

    ¡°Girl, you gotta keep an eye on your Pok¨¦mon. I¡¯ll have to see your trainer license.¡±

    I tilt my head.

    ¡°Whoops. I left it at home. ¡°

    Richard sighs.

    ¡°Seriously? Are these even your Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°I told you, right? They¡¯re my buddies.¡±

    ¡°So they aren¡¯t. Please hand over their Pok¨¦ Balls.¡±

    With barely a sound, Lili stands in front of the Ranger. Her leaf is glowing with Grass TE right in front of his nose. She gives him a clipped chirp with narrowed eyes. Richard blinks, then falls on his butt. Staraptor uses that moment to shoot an Air Cutter from his wings which Mesprit lazily blocks with a Light Screen. Lulu sends a spark of electricity into the ground a few metres away from everyone and growls. Staraptor flinches as Lili swipes a Leaf Blade just in front of his eyes.

    ¡°Back off!¡± Richard shouts ¡°Or you¡¯ll get into some serious problems!¡±

    Lili rolls her eyes and walks lazily back to my side. She kicks his hip as she passes by the Ranger.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    There is fear and anger in his eyes. Well, mostly fear.

    ¡°Richard,¡± I say ¡°I don¡¯t know why you have to antagonize us. I do know not to make stupid demands. Pay a little attention.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    He¡¯s interrupted by Staraptor whacking him over the head with a wing.

    ¡°You too?¡±

    The bird indicates to Mesprit who is hovering in front of me. I see the Ranger flinch when she connects her mind to his.

    ¡°Drop it,¡± she says ¡°Zoe is good.¡±

    ¡°B-b-b-but¡­ she needs to carry her Trainer license! Everyone knows that!¡±

    ¡°Zoe had a hard time. Let her be.¡±

    My hand lands on Mesprit¡¯s head, rubbing between the hair-like tendrils.

    ¡°Thanks, Mes. But I can deal with this.¡±

    She hums in pleasure and sinks into my chest where I hug her. Her tail wraps around my waist.

    ¡°Richard, how about you come with us? I¡¯ll get my license and then you can move on.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Or is there some other kind of standard procedure to verify¡­ whatever you need to verify?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, I¡­¡±

    He looks confused so I give him some time to think by snuggling with Mes.

    ¡°Right. Okay,¡± he says ¡°Where do you live?¡±

    ¡°Oreburgh.¡±

    ¡°Age and number of badges?¡±

    ¡°Thi¡­ Fifteen and one.¡±

    ¡°The fuck?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t train any of them for the circuit. As I said, they¡¯re my buddies.¡±

    Gligar snorts.

    ¡°Well¡­ You can only have up to four Pok¨¦mon without at least two badges, so¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no issue then, is there?¡± I grin.

    ¡°Right,¡± he digs through his pockets and gives me a little chip ¡°Take this and give it to the Ranger station in Oreburgh. Make sure to have your license on you. And keep your¡­ buddies from using excessive force.¡±

    Lulu growls.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s right. You don¡¯t have to hunt for food. And you know that.¡±

    She yowls at me and I grab her above the ear.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with my cooking!¡± I complain.

    ¡°Gli¡­,¡± Gligar says.

    ¡°You too?¡±

    ¡°Dry rations are annoying to eat,¡± Mesprit says.

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Fine. First thing I¡¯m gonna do with money is get some cooking lessons. Are you happy?¡±

    Lulu yips. Gligar sits up with relief and Mesprit chuckles into our heads. I hear Richard suppress a giggle.

    ¡°You understand them well,¡± he says.

    Staraptor pokes his hat.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He says you should learn to do the same.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m one of the best Rangers around here at understanding Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Staraptor squawks.

    ¡°Only for aggression. That¡¯s no communication. That¡¯s common sense. Maybe I should join the Rangers so I can teach you...¡±

    Richard blinks and looks between me and his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Was that really what you said?¡± he asks.

    Staraptor nods.

    ¡°What the ffff¡­ udge. Sorry. I¡¯ve never met someone like you.¡±

    I shrug and start cleaning up our camp.

    ¡°I¡¯m older than I look so¡­,¡± I trail off.

    ¡°But you look fifteen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I chuckle ¡°Just ignore that¡­¡±

    ¡°But!¡±

    ¡°Ignore!¡± Mesprit says. He flinches at the telepathy.

    ¡°Fine. If you¡¯re really going to join the Rangers, tell me, okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Though you¡¯ll need to get your badges. If you want any interesting work, you should go for the Lily of the Valley Conference.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I frown ¡°That seems like a ton of effort. What about a recommendation from say¡­ the champ?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the only person that can actually change things there but I doubt you¡¯ll even get to meet her before the Conference.¡±

    I smile.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    Richard nods.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to go by the Ranger station.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Mes, wanna hang for a bit?¡±

    Mesprit nods.

    ¡°Want to Teleport us?¡±

    Lulu growls and I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Or not. See you around, Rich.¡±

    ¡°See you.¡±

    He mounts his Staraptor while I recall Lili and Gligar. Mesprit sits in my lap on Lulu¡¯s back and she runs off with a blast of Electric TE. Volt Switch to get a rapid start. Staraptor cries in indignation as we blast past him and I wave as he takes off.

    It takes almost half an hour to get back even with Lulu¡¯s rapid pace. I wave to the rangers as I enter the city and they tell me to recall her. Rather than antagonizing them, I comply and make my way home on foot. Mum is surprised when I drop by and I realize it¡¯s almost 2 p.m. I tell her about the Ranger and we look for my license but don¡¯t find it before I have to leave. I''ll have to go by the station later... Mum decides to keep looking as I make my way towards Vanilluxe¡¯s Dream. It¡¯s time to meet my old friends. I can¡¯t tell what I¡¯m supposed to feel.

 006 Clash

    There are a number of spots in Oreburgh where students like to meet after school. The Gym is one of them, and the most popular. You can watch matches, discuss strategies, and it has a bunch of small arenas for casual trainers to battle. Oreburgh isn¡¯t big enough to have a ton of battle facilities. Other than the Gym there¡¯s only the place near the mine. Two more spots are the calm patch of Route 207 north of the city, and Oreburgh Gate. Once again, places to train or play with Pok¨¦mon. Other than that, students will spend time with their friends, occasionally at the museum or at one of the caf¨¦s near their school.

    The city has three high schools for all the miners¡¯ kids. Rock Slide High, Diggersby High, and Horsepower High. The last one is where I went to. Go to, I suppose. It¡¯s on the west side of the city, not too far from the Gym. And on the way from HP High to the Gym is the one and only Vanilluxe¡¯s Dream. The ice cream shop, as long as you ask any of the students. It¡¯s affordable, serves big portions, and is super tasty.

    I¡¯m making my way there as slowly as I can. I¡¯m already late but only by a minute. I know I¡¯m dragging this out but¡­ it just feels so weird. My primary reason for returning was that I missed my family. My friends¡­

    I did a lot of self-analysis in the last 20 years. I¡¯m convinced the real reason for my drive to go back through time rather than just wait it out was sunk-cost-fallacy. But I¡¯m ignoring that. Which earns me a smack from Mesprit.

    I reach up to rub her head and quicken my step to a normal pace. Much too quickly, my target comes into view. I catch myself before slipping back into prey-stalking behaviour. One of my primary ways of doing field research was to stay out of sight just like a predator of whatever Pok¨¦mon I was observing. Also helped with catching them for closer interactions.

    I clear my head with a shake and look around. Cynthia is obvious with a bunch of students gathered around her as she is looking through the available ice cream. It takes a few seconds to make out my friends in the crowd. Of course they would join the star-struck students. I laugh as I realize Cynthia is too focused to even notice the people asking her for autographs. I lean against a lamppost and observe.

    It takes almost two minutes for the champ to choose her ice cream. I don¡¯t hear what it is over the noise but after she orders, she turns around and starts talking to the people. Somehow she manages to disperse them in the time it takes for her three scoops with cream and sprinkles to be prepared. I spot the table my friends are moving towards and push through the dispersing crowd towards them. Slowly, a grin creeps onto my face.

    Min¡¯s straight black hair is turned towards me. The way it curls a tiny bit just below her shoulder blades almost brings tears to my eyes. Melanie, or Mel for short, is walking to her right, long blonde locks swaying with every step. The only one turned towards me is Sara. She smiles softly at me but complies when I make a shushing motion.

    I sneak up on quiet soles all the way up to my friends. Mel smiles as she spots me standing right behind Min. I sling my arms around her and push my head into the base of her neck. Min squeaks as the other two laugh. I realize I¡¯m humming happily and give her a little space.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whisper into Min¡¯s ear. Then I speak a little louder.

    ¡°Hey, guys! I¡¯m back!¡±

    Min grabs me and pulls me close again. She sniffles and I feel my own tears start to flow.

    ¡°Where¡­?¡± Min manages to say.

    I squeeze her.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Let me get some ice, first.¡±

    ¡°So ice is more important than us?¡± Melanie teases.

    I nod. Mesprit lets out a happy squeal at my shaking head.

    ¡°You¡¯re not that sweet.¡±

    Mel, the contest-competitor of our group, falls back in mock hurt.

    ¡°Oh, how could you? Do you care about my feelings so little?¡±

    Sara bops the back of her head.

    ¡°Welcome back, Zoe.¡±

    My smile widens.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll be right with you guys, okay?¡±

    Min squeezes my arms one more time before letting go. I see them all watching me, their eyes occasionally going up to Mesprit as I go to get some ice cream for myself. Cynthia still stands there, blissfully eating her own. I only glance at the selection before ordering my favourite melon-and-mango combo. Two scoops, no cream, sauce, or sprinkles. When the champ still hasn¡¯t reacted after I got my ice, I poke her side. She yelps cutely and makes sure her ice cream is still safe before looking at me.

    ¡°Oh, hey. Didn¡¯t see you there,¡± she says. Her head tilts as she spots the passenger on my scalp ¡°Mesprit?¡±

    The Lake Guardian waves at her.

    ¡°No worries. We¡¯re over there,¡± I say.

    She nods and follows me to the table the others found. When I sit down with Cynthia right next to me, my friends gape.

    ¡°So, introductions,¡± I begin ¡°This is Cynthia. I met her yesterday when I came back. Cynthia, these are my best human friends. Min, Sara, and Melanie.¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± Cynthia waves. The girls shyly return the greeting. I simply enjoy my ice cream and wait for them to collect themselves. Sara is the one to break the silence.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± she says.

    ¡°I agree. How? Why? What?¡± Mel says.

    Min just glares at me.

    ¡°So, as I said, it¡¯s a long story. Do you want me to explain why Cynthia is here or just start from the beginning?¡±

    Min points at Cynthia.

    ¡°Right,¡± I say ¡°She¡¯s here because we planned a friendly match for later today. Which reminds me, where¡¯s that going to happen?¡±

    ¡°One of the private arenas at the Gym. Roark wants to watch, though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I wave her off ¡°I¡¯ll just text Mum real quick. Do we have a time slot?¡±

    ¡°3pm.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re battling?¡± Sara asks. Her eyes are wide. I can¡¯t tell if confusion or excitement are more prevalent ¡°Like, why? Did you pay for lessons?¡±

    I shake my head.

    ¡°As I said, we met yesterday and agreed to a little spar. I got a few Pok¨¦mon you haven¡¯t met. They¡¯re quite strong.¡±

    ¡°Like the one on your head?¡±

    Mesprit waves.

    ¡°I was about to ask you,¡± Cynthia says ¡°Where did you two meet?¡±

    ¡°Lake Verity,¡± I grin ¡°You should know about that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°I told you everything yesterday. Though Mesprit here isn¡¯t one of my Pok¨¦mon. She¡¯s a friend and decided to hang out for today.¡±

    Min frowned.

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°Hang out with friends?¡± I gesture at the table.

    ¡°No, I mean¡­ just be friends with Pok¨¦mon without¡­ you know¡­ catching them?¡±

    Mesprit¡¯s mind suddenly connects to me. I see the others flinch which means she¡¯s talking to all of us.

    ¡°Zoe did catch me,¡± she says ¡°But she released me later when I had things to do.¡±

    ¡°By Arceus!¡± Melanie says ¡°You can talk? You¡¯re a Psychic type, then?¡±

    ¡°Yup. I¡¯m Mesprit. My friends call me Mes!¡±

    I reach up to pat her head which she leans into.

    ¡°And a powerful one,¡± Sara adds ¡°Or old.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not old!¡± Mes complains.

    ¡°Old is relative,¡± I nod sagely ¡°And relative to all of us, you are old.¡±

    ¡°Hmpf!¡±

    Min giggles.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need us then, Zoe, as you made such a great friend.¡±

    ¡°Ah, nono. I rushed back so I could see you guys again. And I wanted to say I¡¯m sorry, Min. You know¡­ about everything.¡±

    She pulls me into a side hug for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too. I almost thought I¡¯d never see you again.¡±

    I take her hand and squeeze it.

    ¡°You know¡­ I kind of want to start another gym circuit next season. Wanna come with me?¡±

    Min glares at me.

    ¡°Yes! Good thing you asked because we all decided to try again. We wanted to get stronger so we could go look for you.¡±

    I look at my friends one by one. Min has her vicious grin that I missed a lot. Sara looks cool but there¡¯s a sparkle in her eyes. Melanie is smiling wryly.

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Cynthia says ¡°Though we should get moving if we want to make it in time.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    We get up and start for the gym. It¡¯s not too far but we have a little more time to talk on the way.

    ¡°So, even you¡¯re going for more badges, Mel?¡± I ask.

    She sighs.

    ¡°Yes. Yes, I am. I was planning to even before you¡­ disappeared. My Luna is beautiful but she needs some more power to let us progress into the next tier of contests.¡±

    ¡°Right. Lumineon are generally not the best fighters. They usually survive by fleeing or hiding. But they can pack a punch.¡±

    ¡°I know. I was thinking of applying for one of the lab starters to pad the team. Especially for Gardenia. But that¡¯s unlikely to happen. Maybe I¡¯ll just look for something on the road.¡±

    ¡°Luna has Water Veil, right? Maybe look for a Fire type?¡±

    ¡°Lumineon can learn some good coverage against Grass types,¡± Cynthia says ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary for Gardenia.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking she could set up an environmental hazard with a Fire-type and then switch in Luna who¡¯ll be able to ignore most of the heat.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Melanie asks ¡°How would you even do that?¡±

    ¡°Just put something on fire. The ground or air are usually enough. If you get a Magmar or Arcanine it won¡¯t be an issue. Or a Ninetales?¡±

    ¡°Ninetales are beautiful but where am I supposed to find one? Even Vulpix are extremely rare and then I need a Fire Stone on top of that.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s this spot in the Coastlands to the east. It¡¯s a little out of the way up the cliffs but you can find both Growlithe and Vulpix there without a problem. Their territories are often in motion, though.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Sara asks.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done my research.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Cynthia says.

    Indeed, we reached the Oreburgh Gym. The second biggest human-made structure in the city looms before us. If you count the underground levels, it¡¯s still the second biggest. Because of the mine. The facade is sleek and a few screens show advertisements for show matches and Pok¨¦mon products. A large stylized Pok¨¦ Ball is positioned right above the main entrance, a triple set of revolving doors. People are everywhere. I shudder a little at the noise.

    We make our way inside as I pick up whispers and see fingers pointed at the champion. Cynthia ignores them but does answer the few brave ones that greet her from a distance.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t this bad on the streets¡­¡± I say.

    ¡°People don¡¯t really bother me when I just walk around. But when I¡¯m at a place like this¡­¡±

    She smiles as a child comes up and asks for an autograph. That provokes an avalanche of admirers and she tells us to go to one of the receptionists and get everything ready.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    The entrance hall of the Gym is separated into three parts. To the left is a Pok¨¦mon Center to deal with injuries taken during battle or training. To the right is an extensive waiting area with couches and cuddly bags to sit on as well as a little snack bar. There are TVs all over so you can see at least one no matter where you sit. Trainers often watch matches here while waiting for their own to start. With the break in the Gym Circuit right now, most of those are reruns from the Conference or the last season¡¯s Gym battle highlights.

    The back wall holds a line of eight counters with a receptionist manning each one. Some of them have lines but again, it¡¯s the season break so the crowd is manageable. Cynthia dragging a lot of them towards herself helps as well. We only have to wait for a few minutes before it¡¯s our turn.

    ¡°Welcome to the Oreburgh Gym,¡± the receptionist greets ¡°What can I do for you, today?¡±

    ¡°Two things,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯m here for a scheduled private arena reserved for Cynthia. She told us to go ahead and get everything sorted out.¡±

    The man raises an eyebrow. When Mesprit gives him a wave, he sighs and starts tapping the keyboard in front of him.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see. Yeah, I have it. Cynthia and Zoe, private arena plus guests. Approved by Roark himself. You¡¯re Zoe, I assume? May I see your Trainer License?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the second part. I was looking for it earlier and can¡¯t find it. Since I¡¯ll need a new one anyway, I was wondering if we can just get that done?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need a Trainer License for that. From your parents or another adult that¡¯ll vouch for you.¡±

    ¡°Found!¡± Mesprit says and flickers away. I take a second to find her in the crowd and spot her in front of Mum pointing at us. Mum thanks her and then Mesprit Teleports both of them next to us.

    The receptionist clears his throat.

    ¡°Could you please tell your Pok¨¦mon to refrain from using moves in the city outside of sanctioned battle areas?¡±

    Mesprit giggles as she slowly spins upside down in the air.

    ¡°She¡¯s not my Pok¨¦mon. Just a friend coming along.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    ¡°Um, Zoe?¡± Mum speaks up ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Mesprit Teleported you.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ yes, I can see that. But it was so smooth. I didn¡¯t even notice.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s really good at Teleporting. Did you find my license?¡±

    ¡°¡­ No, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then we can just get a new one issued. You have yours on you, right?¡±

    She nods and digs in her handbag for a moment.

    ¡°Also, we¡¯re planning to try the Gym Circuit again next season. Could you give us the stuff for that as well?¡±

    He starts clicking on his keyboard and somewhere in the back a printer whirrs to life. Soon after, Cynthia finishes up with her admirers and joins us to the relief of the receptionist. We pick up the paperwork for myself and my three friends and start to make our way¡­ to the main arena?

    ¡°Why are we going here?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It¡¯s the biggest place,¡± Cynthia says ¡°We can let loose a little in there.¡±

    ¡°Yes but¡­ private?¡±

    ¡°The main arena isn¡¯t used during the off-season unless with explicit permission of the Gym Leader. And since Roark is going to watch¡­¡±

    ¡°The Gym Leader is gonna be there, too?¡± Min asks.

    ¡°Well, yeah. He seemed enthusiastic when I told him I found a potential rival.¡±

    My friends stare at me and I sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s not gonna be an even match since I only have two Pok¨¦mon that can keep up with Cynthia¡¯s. Unless Mes wants to fight?¡±

    She shakes her head.

    ¡°You go!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t keep up yet. I think just a 2v2 would be best.¡±

    Mesprit pouts.

    ¡°We can think about other stuff later. That okay with you, Cynthia?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I expected,¡± she says.

    ¡°Traditional battling isn¡¯t really my thing,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯m more about being out and about.¡±

    ¡°Then we should do both. I¡¯m already at an advantage since I know which Pok¨¦mon you¡¯re using.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not following¡­¡± Sara says ¡°What?¡±

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯ll start with the battle, then.¡±

    ¡°Already fired up, I see?¡± a smiling man interrupts us. He¡¯s missing the usual miner¡¯s hat on top of his red hair but wears the familiar grey outfit with yellow warning lines on the rims of the shirt. Sturdy boots and white gloves close it off. He raises his hand in a wave.

    ¡°Hey there. I¡¯m Roark but you probably know that.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Your Badge is the only one I have, so¡­ yeah. I¡¯m Zoe.¡±

    We shake hands.

    ¡°Cynthia,¡± he says turning to her. She returns an equally short greeting.

    ¡°Serena Crones,¡± Mum is next ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    Min, Melanie, and Sara also introduce themselves before we finally move on.

    ¡°So, Zoe is the one you were talking about?¡± Roark asks.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cynthia says ¡°Can we get started right away?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Let me just get the barriers set up.¡±

    Mesprit rises from my head.

    ¡°I will help!¡± she says and shoots off.

    My eyes scan the arena as Roark shakes off his confusion and follows her. There are stands for spectators on the long sides raised five metres from the main battleground. The back has a few doors I know are used by Roark and his assistants during the season. The wall we are coming from has two entrances leading to the stands besides the one we came from. The battleground itself is nothing special. Just a slightly uneven rocky surface with a few spots of sand and bare dirt here and there.

    Mum drags my friends over to one side but not before everyone wishes me well. I grin at Cynthia.

    ¡°So, who¡¯s the challenger, today?¡±

    She smiles back.

    ¡°I am. I asked you for a battle, after all.¡±

    ¡°Then do your worst,¡± I say and we shake hands.

    I start to make my way over to the other side of the arena stopping just below where my friends sat down. Min looks at Cynthia and then back to me.

    ¡°She¡¯s the challenger?¡±

    ¡°She asked for the battle,¡± I say ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter much. It¡¯s just a friendly match.¡±

    I reach for my pouch and pull out Gligar¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball. I release him and he looks around with worried curiosity.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I say and he looks up ¡°I¡¯m gonna have a match with Cynthia over there. You can stay with my friends here if you want to watch.¡±

    He looks up at them, then back to me. Mesprit takes that moment to land on Mum¡¯s head. I laugh as she flinches.

    ¡°See, Mes is also here. That¡¯s my Mum she¡¯s with, by the way.¡±

    Gligar takes another moment before pushing away his nerves. He nods at me and starts climbing the wall with his claws. I wave at the others before making my way over to the spot normally used by the Gym Leader. Roark is standing at the side of the arena with an Alakazam by his side. The League trains Pok¨¦mon specifically for creating barriers in official matches and each Gym has a few staying there at any time.

    He looks between us. I notice Cynthia¡¯s gaze has turned to steel. There is pure focus there, nothing but the battle on her mind. A Hyper Ball is already in her hand. She could lead with Ryu. Not like that changes my plan. I reach into my bag and pull out a Super Ball. I roll it in my hand and give Roark a nod.

    ¡°We¡¯re here for a friendly match between Champion Cynthia and Zoe. It¡¯s going to be a two versus two. Both sides get one switch. The trainer with the last Pok¨¦mon standing wins. On ¡®Go¡¯, send out your Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Three,

    ¡°Two,

    ¡°One,

    ¡°Go!¡±

    Our Pok¨¦mon materialize almost simultaneously. On Cynthia¡¯s side, it stays floating a good metre above ground. Two white wings reaching almost two metres to each side hold up an oval white body with red and blue triangles on its chest. Three large feathers come up above¡­ his(?) head. It¡¯s always tough to tell the gender of a Togekiss but I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s a guy. Most of them are guys.

    On my side, Lulu stands large and imposing. Her head is higher than the Togekiss¡¯s even though her feet meet the ground. Cynthia¡¯s mouth curves downward the tiniest bit as my Luxray roars and everyone but me flinches. Even the champ¡¯s finger twitches.

    ¡°I¡¯m switching,¡± she calls. True, it¡¯s a bad match-up but now I can force it to happen. What is she thinking?

    As my hand goes to Lulu¡¯s ball, she looks back and growls. I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Alright, then. It¡¯s your funeral.¡±

    Togekiss is pulled back and Ryu appears in a flash of light. I smile and wave at her but she ignores me at the sight of the arena. And the huge lioness standing in front of her.

    Lulu lowers her head and growls again. The Garchomp answers by taking up a fighting stance. I see her ready to stomp the ground for an Earthquake at the same time as she¡¯s planning to dodge whatever we throw her way.

    ¡°Resume!¡± Roark calls out.

    ¡°Up!¡± I shout. My voice is almost a growl and Lulu reacts perfectly, jumping as the ground shakes and splinters right where she stood moments before. I see Ryu¡¯s eyes widen at the Luxray¡¯s Scary Face and call my next order.

    ¡°Go!¡±

    Lulu does what she knows best and shoots a quick blast of Electric Type Energy to her back feet. A Volt Switch pushes her forwards as her fangs glisten with Ice TE.

    ¡°Catch!¡± Cynthia says coolly.

    I spot a glimmer of light blue in Ryu¡¯s teeth. A berry?

    Before I can figure out what she¡¯s doing, Ryu chomps down and Dragon TE fills both of her claws. As Lulu lands on her with an Ice Fang, the Garchomp is barely pushed back and rams her claws into Lulu¡¯s head.

    ¡°Full Force!¡± Cynthia says before I can realize Lulu is trapped.

    Luckily, I don¡¯t need to. She knows how to handle herself.

    Ryu lifts one of her claws in what I know is an Outrage but Lulu is already grappling the dragon¡¯s torso in her maw. Before the first hit can land, Lulu pushes off the ground and slams her victim head-first into the rock. I hear my friends gasp but ignore them.

    ¡°Stay close!¡± I call out.

    Lulu charges up her special move she learned just to deal with Gary in their spars. Fairy TE goes to her front paws and teeth.

    ¡°Protect!¡± Cynthia calls out.

    Ryu shakes off the confusion from the violent disruption and just barely stops the first few hits of Lulu¡¯s Play Rough. But Lulu doesn¡¯t stop. Her claws lash out across the shining barrier and her teeth try to find purchase somewhere. More and more sparks spray off the barrier.

    ¡°Now!¡± Cynthia shouts over the noise.

    This time, we are both too late. Ryu rams her whole body on the ground and a shockwave blasts dust away in a clean circle. Lulu cries as her back feet get hit and she falls over. High Horsepower?

    With a roar, Ryu jumps at my injured friend and a Dragon Claw sweeps her off her feet.

    ¡°Move!¡± I call out, my voice almost cracking ¡°And light her up!¡±

    Another Volt Switch pushes Lulu away from the raging dragon just far enough for her to gather the Fire TE for a Sunny Day. Cynthia merely smirks as another Earthquake breaks Lulu¡¯s fall. I clench my teeth when I realize her stamina is spent.

    ¡°Luxray is unable to battle,¡± Roark calls ¡°Zoe is on her last Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    I call back Lulu and take a deep breath.

    ¡°You did well,¡± I whisper at her Super Ball.

    My eyes scan the battleground. Two spots are completely shattered from Earthquake and the High Horsepower did a number on the rest. The destruction cleanly cuts off where the barrier ends. Ryu is standing on the right, slightly towards my side.

    My hand moves and Lili¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball flies in a perfect arc to deliver her into Cynthia¡¯s left corner. As far away from Ryu as possible.

    Lili chirps and twirls her legs and arms in a dance. I can barely even spot the Fighting TE running through her in a Victory Dance.

    ¡°Resume!¡± Roark calls out. I barely notice him giving me a strange glance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back,¡± I say calmly.

    Lili chirps and dances again.

    ¡°Quick burn!¡± Cynthia calls out and Ryu lets loose a Flamethrower of epic proportions. Boosted by the sunlight it fills almost a quarter of the arena going straight for Lulu. Then it abruptly cuts off. Everyone gasps as Ryu slams into the ground. Lulu¡¯s Acrobatics smashing into the dragon¡¯s head.

    The move is immediately followed up by a Low Sweep pushing up Ryu¡¯s backside. Then, Lili starts to twirl. Before Ryu even lands on the ground, a twirling spiral of icy death impacts the dragon and drags her along until they hit the barrier.

    Lili jumps out of the cloud of dust and lands in another twirling Victory Dance. Silence descends as the dust settles. Ryu is lying unmoving, her eyes closed. I grimace as I see the trail of blood colouring the sand red.

    ¡°Garchomp is unable to battle,¡± Roark says ¡°Cynthia is on her last Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°That was a bit too hard,¡± I say ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Cynthia blinks and gives me a smile.

    ¡°No worries. She¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Her face goes back into battle mode as soon as she throws out her Togekiss again.

    Lili sways a little as they stare at each other. And this time I see the Fairy TE in his eyes. Baby-Doll Eyes. Did he also use that against Lulu right at the beginning? No wonder she did so little damage to Ryu.

    ¡°Resume!¡±

    Instantly, Electric TE crackles on Togekiss¡¯s wings. Then he¡¯s right in front of Lili and a huge orb of static energy fills the area around him. Thunder Wave. And an Extreme Speed to get close? Lili glows as the lightning glides off her. A Poison Jab slaps Togekiss to the ground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let up,¡± I say.

    ¡°Blast her!¡± Cynthia shouts.

    And a point-blank Fire Blast smashes Lili into the barrier right in front of me. Togekiss doesn¡¯t come out unscathed and trawls backwards through the air, smoke rising from his feathers.

    ¡°Lili!¡± I shout.

    She chirps quietly and gets up.

    ¡°Hurricane!¡±

    I meet Cynthia¡¯s eyes as we both shout the same move.

    Both Pok¨¦mon start weaving the air. Within moments, two storms rage against each other meeting slightly closer to Lili. And she gets pushed back. That¡¯s obvious if I think about it. She¡¯s far better using her body instead of pure Type Energy. The opposite of pretty much all Togekiss I ever observed. So I have her add something.

    ¡°Make it cold and Blast!¡±

    I can¡¯t see Roark, let alone Cynthia over the chaos. Lili starts spinning and ice weaves into her storm. The fake Blizzard starts to push back Togekiss¡¯s Hurricane by a few metres until the other side suddenly fills with fire. Once again, Lili is being pushed back. But my girl isn¡¯t done yet. She stops spinning, relying on the last bit of energy keeping up the storm and gathers Grass TE between her arm-leaves. The receding sunlight is rapidly absorbed by the growing ball of glowing power.

    With an earth-shattering BOOM Lili lets her Solar Beam rip through the Hurricanes. It falters for a moment when it meets the Fire TE from whatever move Togekiss is adding to his side before punching the bird straight into the barrier. As the winds disperse, Lili sinks to one knee, shaking from exertion. On the other side of the battlefield, Togekiss is just barely keeping himself in the air. There is a glint in his eyes and before I can call out, he is ramming Lili into the barrier right in front of me.

    Extreme Speed again.

    Lili cries out and slides down the barrier. Togekiss is too exhausted to move and lands in her lap. She tries to lift a leaf to strike at him but falls on her side instead. Silence descends over the arena. For all of five seconds, everyone stares at the two Pok¨¦mon lying on the ground. Then Togekiss pushes his wings. Once. Twice. With the third attempt, he lifts off. He is exhausted with his feathers bent and burned. But he¡¯s still standing. Or, well, flying.

    ¡°¡­ Lili is unable to battle,¡± Roark calls ¡°Cynthia wins the match.¡±

    Togekiss calls out happily and does a little twirl. Cynthia blinks, then smiles.

    ¡°Yes!¡± she pumps a fist.

    As the barrier drops, she runs over to Togekiss and hugs him. I kneel down to Lili and pat her head.

    ¡°That was great,¡± I say ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She chirps quietly as I reach for a revive from my satchel. I put the crystallized stamina on top of her chest and watch as it slowly drains into her body.

    Steps announce Cynthia¡¯s arrival by my side. I look up.

    ¡°That was a good match,¡± she says ¡°But why didn¡¯t you switch Lulu out immediately.¡±

    I smile wryly.

    ¡°She wanted to show off. After all, Ryu isn¡¯t as strong as Gary, right?¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t realize Togekiss had already used Baby-Doll Eyes that first time. That and whatever that berry did swung the match in your favour.¡±

    She grinned.

    ¡°Yache berries reduce super effective Ice Type damage. It would¡¯ve let Ryu stand up to Lili¡¯s Ice Spinner. Or so I thought. Now, I¡¯m not so sure.¡±

    ¡°Is that allowed? To just have the Pok¨¦mon hold a berry to eat whenever?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Roark says as he joins us ¡°Any item a Pok¨¦mon can use on their own is allowed in League-verified matches. But only one item per Pok¨¦mon and never more than one of each per team.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Could¡¯ve helped me¡­ What did Togekiss have?¡±

    ¡°The leftovers of a Munchlax,¡± Cynthia says ¡°They restore a little bit of stamina while he chews on them over time.¡±

    I chuckle.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how you won.¡±

    Roark nods.

    ¡°The fact that you almost beat her without items kind of freaks me out if I¡¯m honest. What kind of Pok¨¦mon is Lili anyways? She looks a little like a Liligant but¡­¡±

    ¡°She is. I don¡¯t know when it changed but 200 years ago that¡¯s what every Liligant looked like.¡±

    He blinks.

    ¡°200¡­?¡±

    Min slams into my side, almost bowling me over.

    ¡°That was awesome!¡± she shouts.

    Melanie is right behind with Mum and Sara forming the back. Gligar is clinging to Mum and Mesprit is levitating upside down at her side.

    I laugh and hug Min back.

    ¡°Thanks. I got surprised by a few things. Otherwise I might have won.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Mel asks.

    Roark nods.

    ¡°You saw how close it was. If Zoe had given her Pok¨¦mon items, even just a simple berry for healing, she would have won.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Mel stares at me ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use items?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t think it was allowed.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you watched any competitive matches recent¡­ ly¡­ oh.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. No, I didn¡¯t watch anything competitive in over twenty years.¡±

    Sara narrows her eyes at that.

    ¡°You¡¯re not twenty.¡±

    ¡°Correct. I¡¯m thirty-five. You can blame Arceus.¡±

    Min pulls out of the hug and runs her hand down my face. She glances over my body, staring at my modest chest for a little too long, then meets my eyes again.

    ¡°Nope. You look the same as before you disappeared.¡±

    I grin.

    ¡°I know, right? The time travel stopped me from ageing. Like, completely. Apparently it¡¯s fixed now, though I¡¯ll still age slower.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s just unfair,¡± Melanie pouts ¡°You get super strong Pok¨¦mon and eternal youth? Arceus, leave something for others!¡±

    I wince.

    ¡°You forgot about the part where I didn¡¯t see my family or friends for two decades.¡±

    ¡°Time travel?¡± Sara asks.

    I meet her eyes.

    ¡°Yes. I was speaking literally when I said you can blame Arceus.¡±

    Min stands back.

    ¡°You met him?¡±

    ¡°Them,¡± I say ¡°Arceus doesn¡¯t have a sex.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Melanie shakes her head.

    ¡°So you disappeared because you travelled through time? How did that happen?¡±

    ¡°As to the specifics, once again, blame Arceus. I don¡¯t actually know how that stuff works. As for the reason¡­ They needed someone to save the world 200 years ago. And I was apparently a good fit.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s kinda insane,¡± Min says ¡°Did you just wait it out with your eternal youth?¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve gone crazy if I did that. No, I worked hard to have them send me back. Apparently, time travel isn¡¯t really healthy so I had to train my body and soul quite a bit. That¡¯s why it took 20 years instead of two.¡±

    My friends look at each other. I can¡¯t tell what they¡¯re thinking about but seconds later I¡¯m swallowed by a hug-pile. Behind them, I can hear Cynthia and Roark talk quietly and Mum seems to be playing with Gligar.

    Yes, I¡¯m glad to be back. I¡¯m glad I went through all of that effort. I barely notice my tears flowing as I cuddle my friends.

 007 Family

    It takes a few minutes for us to even begin to separate. Though the first movement makes Min meet my eyes. A huge grin spreads on her face.

    ¡°Teach me!¡± she demands suddenly.

    I narrow my eyes.

    ¡°Teach you what?¡±

    ¡°How to fight! We¡¯re going to beat the circuit this time!¡±

    ¡°Uhm¡­ I was thinking about doing a speedrun.¡±

    Sara chokes.

    ¡°With two Pok¨¦mon? No way that¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to fight for it,¡± Roark says, ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to use my main team against you.¡±

    ¡°So? I¡¯ve got a month to prepare. Lili alone will crush you by then.¡±

    Min giggles.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed,¡± Mel comments.

    I grin.

    ¡°Possibly a little. Anyway, I was thinking about Teleporting so I can join you guys on your trip right after getting the badges.¡±

    Cynthia sighs.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the Gym Leaders, Zoe. You might have Pok¨¦mon that match or even beat my own in pure power but you will struggle against all of them. Now that Roark knows, he will tell the others. You won¡¯t have a single fight against less than a main team. And they can decide to have you fight a 6v6 no matter how many Pok¨¦mon you have.¡±

    Lili chirps angrily, making me laugh.

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s so ready to break some legs.¡±

    I meet her leaf for a high-five.

    The Gym Leader and Champion look at each other.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I relent ¡°I¡¯ll just sign up for here to begin with. I can see how we do, then. Lili has a big typing advantage, after all, so if we struggle I¡¯ll take it slow.¡±

    Roark nods.

    ¡°That¡¯s fair. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±

    Lili balls her leaf and chirps, making him laugh.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some work to get back to so I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    We wave as he leaves the Gym, the League Alakazam following him with a glance at me. I push a tiny bit of Psychic Type Energy into his direction and connect to his mind.

    ¡°See you,¡± I send to only him. His eyes widen and one of his spoons drops a tiny bit before he sends back respectful agreement and cuts off the connection.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± Min asks.

    Cynthia indicates the exit.

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to leave soon but the arena isn¡¯t used for the rest of the day so there¡¯s no hurry.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s train!¡± my best friend pumps her fist.

    I snicker before slapping her shoulder.

    ¡°How about we take it slow? We¡¯ve got a full month before the Circuit. I¡¯ll help you but as I said, I¡¯m not much of a traditional battler.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Mel asks ¡°I would¡¯ve thought with Pok¨¦mon like that.¡±

    ¡°All trained in the wild. We have strategies to neutralize or even kill threats to civilization. We don¡¯t do much ¡®for fun¡¯ fighting.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Everyone falls silent. Gligar pushes off Mum and walks up to me. He gently tugs on my shirt.

    ¡°Gli?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to learn all that. You can just grow at your own pace. The Rangers make my skills much less necessary. Though if I do become one, you¡¯ll have to decide how far you want to go.¡±

    He nods and climbs up to hang on my back. His head nuzzles into the side of my neck. I reach up to pet him.

    ¡°So¡­,¡± Sara says ¡°If you didn¡¯t do fighting ¡®for fun¡¯, what did you do then?¡±

    ¡°I was a part of the Survey Corps. I did research on Pok¨¦mon in their natural habitat or caught them for closer study. And I helped out defending Jubilife Village.¡±

    ¡°Village? I only know the city.¡±

    ¡°It started out as a village,¡± Mel says ¡°But that was over 200¡­ years¡­ ago,¡± she slowly turned to me ¡°Hey. Were you there when it was founded?¡±

    ¡°The city or the village? Because it¡¯s yes for the former and no for the latter. They were there for a few years when I arrived.¡±

    ¡°How big was Oreburgh?¡± Mel asks.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t exist. It was founded a few years before I left.¡±

    Mum claps to get everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Okay, everyone. Let¡¯s move this somewhere more comfortable, shall we? Our place is big enough.¡±

    Everyone nods and we get moving. Cynthia excuses herself saying she has something to do and will contact me later.

    <hr>

    The rest of the afternoon is spent answering a barrage of questions mostly from Mel and Sara. The former has a vested interest in the history of early Sinnoh while Sara wants to know more about what battling was like back then. Min mostly just leans on me. Or lets me lean on her. I am very happy to be back.

    <hr>

    I sleep in again the next morning. Haven¡¯t done that for a long time so it¡¯s only an hour or so after dawn. I didn¡¯t get enough exercise yesterday.

    After taking a shower, I find Mum in the kitchen, yawning deeply. Dad is bustling around in their bedroom. She turns to me with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Already up, sweetie? I thought that was Lili in the shower.¡±

    I give her a side hug.

    ¡°It¡¯s an hour past dawn. I kinda slept in.¡±

    Mum chuckles.

    ¡°Oh, you. Well, I got some time today and your father has the late shift so let¡¯s do something together?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Anything specific?¡±

    Dad takes that moment to stumble into the kitchen.

    ¡°Morning ladies,¡± he mumbles as Mum offers him a cup of coffee.

    ¡°Good morning love,¡± she says.

    ¡°Morning.¡±

    ¡°Already up, little Ralts?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty late isn¡¯t it?¡± I say as I look out the window.

    He rubs at his eyes with a yawn.

    ¡°Not really, no. Morning shift just started half an hour ago.¡±

    Mum gives him a kiss and makes for the shower.

    ¡°You two figure out what we¡¯re doing today while I get freshened up, alright?¡± she says.

    I grin and make myself a cup of tea as Dad sits down, slowly sipping his black poison.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t get how you can drink that,¡± I say.

    ¡°Looks like those 20 years of experience didn¡¯t make you grow up any,¡± he grins.

    I put a hand in front of my chest and look at him with mock outrage.

    ¡°I¡¯m a growing girl, alright?¡±

    After a few seconds we both break out laughing. Once we calm down I take a few berries from the satchel on my hip and start dicing them. I split them into three bowls and add a little yoghurt from the fridge before taking them to the table.

    Dad gives me a look.

    ¡°Berries for breakfast? I didn¡¯t raise a snob, did I?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? They¡¯re free. You just have to pick them.¡±

    He glances at my satchel.

    ¡°How long have they been in there?¡±

    ¡°Not a moment. There¡¯s no time inside. The space also isn¡¯t really there but I don¡¯t understand the details of that.¡±

    He grunts and picks up a spoon, slowly tasting the food. I dig in myself and quickly finish up. Dad hasn¡¯t even gone through half his portion yet. He looks like he¡¯s enjoying it.

    ¡°So, any ideas for what to do today?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I swapped shifts so we have until around two p.m. We could go watch some battles?¡±

    ¡°Battles again?¡± I groan.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you fight since you came back.¡±

    ¡°Mum told you about yesterday, right? Lili and Lulu would trash anyone we can casually find and Gligar has absolutely no training. Normal battlegrounds aren¡¯t really a good place for my Pok¨¦mon right now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ The museum?¡±

    My phone rings in my bedroom.

    ¡°Who could that be this early?¡± Dad asks.

    I shrug and go to pick it up. It¡¯s Cynthia.

    ¡°Good morning Zoe,¡± she greets ¡°Did I wake you up? I didn¡¯t know if you¡¯re up yet.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I already had breakfast. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°So, I was talking to Professor Rowan yesterday and he wants to meet you. He¡¯s interested in your Pok¨¦dex. We can also get your DNA test done there. Do you have some time today? Or tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Maybe in the afternoon but I was planning to meet my friends again. Tomorrow is better.¡±

    ¡°No problem. Meet me at the Oreburgh Gym. We¡¯ll have one of the Alakazam Teleport us to Sandgem.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Text me the time later and I¡¯ll be there.¡±

    We say goodbye and I get back to my dad in the kitchen. I can hear Mum finishing up in the bathroom.

    ¡°Who was it?¡± Dad asks.

    ¡°Cynthia. Professor Rowan wants to meet me. We¡¯re going tomorrow via Teleport.¡±

    He stares blankly.

    ¡°Alright. How are you getting back?¡±

    I blink.

    ¡°The same way?¡±

    ¡°Do you need money to pay for the transport?¡±

    I laugh.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°No, Dad. Thanks. I can do it myself.¡±

    He looks at me strangely.

    ¡°Look!¡±

    I focus for a moment and suddenly sit on the chair next to him. Mum comes in right at that moment.

    ¡°No Teleporting in the house, young lady!¡± she chides.

    I laugh at Dad¡¯s expression. He¡¯s looking between us with wide eyes.

    ¡°So that thing with¡­ ¡®You can use Moves¡¯ was real?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not just a psychic?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    I channel a tiny bit of Rock TE into my hand and form the beginnings of a Rock Throw. Dad stares. His eyes grow bigger when I crush it between my fingers and it vanishes.

    ¡°It¡¯s a neat party trick,¡± I say.

    Mum hugs me from behind and pats my head.

    ¡°That it is. Looks like we won¡¯t have to worry about your journey. At least not as much as last time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be holding back on using it around strangers. It¡¯ll just cause annoying questions. And I need that PSIL-ID so the Rangers don¡¯t get angry. Or the police.¡±

    My parents share a glance before smiling softly.

    ¡°You really are all grown up, huh?¡± Dad says.

    I pat my chest and grin.

    ¡°All the way up,¡± I agree.

    We share a laugh. When everyone calms down again, Mum speaks up.

    ¡°So, have you decided on what to do?¡±

    ¡°Not really. Cynthia called and interrupted our planning session. I¡¯m going to see the Professor with her tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Ah. That is a good idea. He can help you out with that ID. I think between Professor, Champ, and League Management, two of them have to speak in favour.¡±

    ¡°They changed it, then. Back then it was the Galaxy Expedition Team Commander, and the heads of the two Clans.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to have a long talk about what Sinnoh was like in its early days,¡± Mum grins. She¡¯s a real history nut. I don¡¯t mind because it lets us spend a lot of time together in the near future.

    ¡°Well, I suppose we could always go for a hike in the tunnel?¡±

    My mouth flopped open and I quickly closed it with a smack. The wave of nostalgia smacked me like a Drain Punch. I shuddered just a tiny bit.

    ¡°Yes!¡± I say, interrupting whatever Dad was talking about.

    They look at me and nod with a grin.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get ready,¡± he says.

    ¡°I¡¯m having breakfast first,¡± Mum says as she sits down. I¡¯m already halfway to my room when she shouts in surprise.

    ¡°Where did you get the berries, dear?¡±

    I hear Dad start explaining as I rush through the door. Lili turns her head from her spot on the windowsill. She just barely fits after taking all the odds and ends from it and sits cross-legged in the sun. Gligar is lying behind her on my bed with Lulu still snoring on the ground. There¡¯s barely enough space to get from door to bed and back.

    ¡°We¡¯re going hiking!¡± I shout making the lioness jump and knock her head on the ceiling. She yelps in surprise and carefully lays back down. I nuzzle her face with my body at her annoyed look.

    ¡°Gligar?¡± the flying scorpion asks.

    ¡°Oh, um¡­ I often went hiking with Mum and Dad on the weekends. Sometimes Rob came along as well. It¡¯s just been so long¡­ I might be overreacting a bit.¡±

    Lili chirps encouragingly.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say ¡°I was going to prepare but I don¡¯t really need anything with my satchel, huh?¡±

    Lulu growls into my stomach and I scratch behind her ear.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not a problem for you to come along. But you need to stay close so you don¡¯t scare other people. At least not too much.¡±

    Gligar looks a bit hesitant and turns away when I look at him.

    ¡°...gar,¡± he says.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to come? Don¡¯t like caves?¡±

    He nods meekly. Lili turns and pats his head gently.

    ¡°That¡¯s no problem. We can see what it¡¯s like and if you don¡¯t like it you can just stay in your Pok¨¦ball. What do you say?¡±

    He pushes his head into my pillow and mumbles something.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± I grin ¡°I can¡¯t hear you.¡±

    His head shoots up and he glares at me.

    ¡°Gli!¡± he shouts.

    I nod.

    ¡°Good. Then that¡¯s settled. Let¡¯s get you guys fed and then we¡¯ll get going soon. Probably.¡±

    <hr>

    It takes almost an hour for everyone to get ready. Rob gets up about halfway through and Mum has to push him to get ready for school, delaying us further. I give him a hug as he leaves which peps him right up. Mum and Dad are right behind us with their backpacks ready. They have some food and water as well as a basic first-aid kit. I know Dad also has some potions for Machop just in case.

    We''re all wearing sturdy clothes and hiking boots. It felt very nostalgic to dig through my closet for my old stuff. Though it¡¯s only a month older than the last time I¡¯d seen it¡­ Still, I can¡¯t shake the grin. I almost put some things into my backpack as well before deciding it was unnecessary. I wouldn¡¯t leave without my satchel and with it, I need nothing else. I can probably feed the city for a day or two with everything I have in there. Okay. That''s an exaggeration but I have a lot of berries.

    After we wave Rob goodbye, we make our way to the Oreburgh Gate, the tunnel you should not confuse with the East Oreburgh Gate which is the actual entrance to the city a few hundred metres in front of us. Next to the building with our apartment are only two more before the city ends. A small Pok¨¦mon Centre for emergencies and the Ranger Station with the Checkpoint attached to it.

    Gligar is clinging to my back as we start walking with my other two Pok¨¦mon in their Balls. Dad¡¯s Machop is also out and about. Small Pok¨¦mon are allowed to be out in town around as long as they have a trainer. Someone like Lulu though would cause too much of a commotion so I¡¯ll have to get a permit which, you guessed it, has a badge requirement. I think it¡¯s three or four for letting any one ¡®disruptive¡¯ Pok¨¦mon out at all times and the full eight to have no limits. At that point the League just accepts your skills as a Trainer and lets you do what you want. And you and your Pok¨¦mon are usually famous enough that people take pictures instead of fleeing on sight.

    The rangers at the gate tell us to stay safe as we leave the city. It¡¯s about half an hour¡¯s walk up a slight slope to reach the tunnel proper. I let out my other Pok¨¦mon as soon as we clear the people leaving the city. There aren¡¯t many this early in the morning but a few trainers are out to get work done.

    The Luxray draws a lot of attention as she roars a greeting. I smack her back and she turns to nuzzle me.

    ¡°Go on, zip off,¡± I say ¡°But don¡¯t run too far away. And no hunting.¡±

    ¡°Mrawl!¡± she nods and blasts off with a burst of static. Lili is next to me looking around curiously. She perks up when she spots the Oreburgh Gate in the distance.

    ¡°Yup. Changed a bit, didn¡¯t it?¡± I grin.

    There is a Ranger checkpoint right next to the tunnel entrance and the path looks a lot more stable than I remember it. Though before that, my memories tell me this is how it¡¯s always been. I feel the beginnings of a headache and decide to stop thinking about it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I say, raising a fist.

    Lili copies me as my parents laugh. Then we are off.

    We usually went on this trip once every month at least. It¡¯s a very safe hike up to the gate and then a slightly more perilous journey through the tunnel. We see a few Pok¨¦mon here and there but most of them are keeping their distance from an excited lioness. Lulu is happily running circles around us to get some exercise but regularly stops by for scritches.

    Lili and Machop are talking quietly about my parents. My Pok¨¦mon is interested to learn more about them and has decided the little brawler is her best source of information. To be fair, she¡¯s probably right. I could try to answer her questions but with how long it¡¯s been for me, I don¡¯t remember everything. Even now I notice all the small quirks I had forgotten about. Like how Dad likes to hold Mum¡¯s shoulder when they¡¯re hugging. Or how he eats way too slow for how big he is and is always the last to finish up. And Mum¡¯s history tick is pretty much the only thing I remembered when I told my Pok¨¦mon in the past about everything.

    <hr>

    We eventually make our way to Oreburgh Gate. A Ranger sits in front of the house and is looking at Lulu with what looks like calculating hesitation. Dad steps up to him and they talk for a minute before he lets us pass with a shake of his head.

    I feel Gligar¡¯s claws dig into my clothes as I walk up to the tunnel. My hand reaches up to pat him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow,¡± I say quietly.

    He suppresses a whimper.

    Step by step I walk up to the tunnel. The sun is just high enough past the mountains to shine into the entrance, lighting up a large patch of rocky ground. Beyond that, the cave slowly gets darker. Two lines of electrical lights hang up on either side of the walls but they are only on further in. The tunnel can easily be crossed in a day, or even a few hours. It¡¯s just over six kilometres long and curves back and forth slightly. The real slowdown comes from all the Pok¨¦mon that make it their territory. Near the main path, that¡¯s only young Pok¨¦mon or those that are very used to humans. Roark once released an old Onix that no longer wanted to fight in his Gym which now lives close to the main path and protects it from larger threats.

    Back when Kochika and the Construction Corps started digging the tunnel, they were mostly looking for ore which ended up building a rather convoluted system of underground paths. They even went up with some of their digging and eventually found a connection to the Mount Coronet cave systems. Between then and now, Sinnoh officials have built this regulated path that goes mostly straight through the mountain to connect Oreburgh with the Obsidian Fieldlands. Or Route 203 I suppose, now that they changed the name.

    I shake my head to clear up my thoughts and refocus on Gligar. He seems to have calmed down a little with Lili standing right next to us and Lulu at our back.

    ¡°See? This cave is not dangerous,¡± I say ¡°Just stay on the main path with the lights and you¡¯ll be safe.¡±

    The distant cry of a Graveler makes him flinch. I listen to the echo for a moment before starting to pet him again.

    ¡°That was deep in the tunnels. The only big Pok¨¦mon on the main path is an Onix that was once part of Roark¡¯s team. You know, the guy that was the referee yesterday?¡±

    He stills for a moment before giving me a tiny nod.

    ¡°I met the Onix on my first attempt at the Circuit. Yes, he looks scary, but he¡¯s really gentle. We won¡¯t get deep enough to meet him unless he¡¯s moving around to look for threats.¡±

    ¡°G-gli?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Onix protects the main path so even humans can use it without having to be scared.¡±

    He digs his chin into my neck to which I respond with more pets. Mum hugs him from the side.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be safe,¡± she says ¡°We did this trip when Zoe and Rob were young kids. It¡¯s the safest cave in all of Sinnoh.¡±

    I give her a smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then!¡± I say.

    Lili chirps happily and starts walking.

    Mum takes a moment to disentangle herself from us and we move deeper into the tunnel. It¡¯s large enough for Lulu to comfortably jump and barely touch the ceiling. Deeper in it will get a little tighter. But never so small that you can¡¯t have a Pok¨¦mon battle. Though it can get difficult to get past two trainers battling. Even if it¡¯s discouraged, many trainers with Rock and Ground types used the area to their advantage to make some quick bucks. I will admit I did just that with Geodude.

    At first, Gligar is still digging his claws into my clothes. I think he managed to pierce my T-shirt in one place. At least my skin is a little tougher than that and still holds strong. As we move deeper in and the sunlight gets replaced by electric lamps he starts to relax his grip. He still isn¡¯t calm and trembles a little on my back but I keep my hand on his claw.

    Whenever we see a Pok¨¦mon or hear a cry from deeper in the tunnels, he flinches a little. It takes until the first stop for him to calm down enough to look around meekly. By now, my tee has probably a dozen small holes. I¡¯m a little annoyed at that but I can just get a new one. Or ask Mum for one.

    The first stop is a resting point in a slightly larger cavern lit up with a few floodlights pointing at the ceiling. Stalactites and stalagmites line the corners and meet in a few places. The centre is cleared both on floor and ceiling for people to rest. A few larger boulders with flat tops lay around to sit on or use as tables. It took us maybe an hour to get here.

    I coax Gligar into my lap after I sit down and give him a hug.

    ¡°You held out so well, Gligar,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡±

    ¡°Gli¡­,¡± he meekly mumbles into my chest.

    ¡°Machop!¡± comes an encouraging call from next to us. The flying scorpion in my lap shifts to look at Dad¡¯s buddy. They start talking quietly, well Gligar is quiet, Machop not so much. I leave them to it and turn to Dad who sits down next to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back,¡± he smiles and puts an arm around my shoulder. I take a deep breath as I lean into him.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s nice to be back,¡± I say.

    We stay quiet for a bit just enjoying each other¡¯s presence. Lili is trying to get Mum to give her something from her backpack. I grin as she finally gets the water bottle and happily twists the cap off and on.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t really believe it, you know?¡± Dad says eventually ¡°That you travelled through time. I mean, your mother told me about the origins of Sinnoh and what that statue in Jubilife supposedly represents but¡­ I didn¡¯t expect it to happen to you. I thought you had gotten kidnapped or something.¡±

    I look at him. He is trying to hide an expression of pain but is not really successful. He takes a deep breath and forces a smile to banish the what-ifs.

    ¡°Seeing you interact with Gligar, though¡­ And what your Pok¨¦mon are doing¡­ I can believe it. And I¡¯m glad it was ¡®only¡¯ that.¡±

    I pull him closer with both my arms. He shouts in surprise as he nearly falls off the rock we¡¯re sitting on before I drag him back on top.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really all that safe in the past, you know? But I made some good friends.¡±

    Lulu nuzzles my back making me laugh.

    ¡°I should have made more friends, probably. The only human friend was Akari¡­ and maybe Laventon, though that was more of a working relationship.¡±

    Dad narrows his eyes.

    ¡°So you spent 20 years without really interacting with people?¡±

    ¡°Sort of? I mean, I got along with many of the others, it¡¯s just¡­ I didn¡¯t want to feel bad about leaving them behind so I avoided having too many close friends. And then I did a lot of field research so I didn¡¯t really have the time for people. Akari helped me out in the beginning and we grew close. It still feels weird to think about. She probably died over a century ago. She was in her mid-thirties when I left. Just¡­ hasn¡¯t really hit me, I guess?¡±

    Dad shakes his head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how that¡¯d feel.¡±

    We sit in silence for a bit before Mum yells at us ¡®lazy bums¡¯ to get up. The mood lightens quickly as we get back to our trip. Gligar is much more comfortable, though he still clings to my back. Every once in a while a wild Pok¨¦mon approaches looking for a trainer. Dad handles them with Machop and Lili talks a few around to just leave us be. I don¡¯t plan on expanding my team all that much. I expected Gary to find his own place but the other three might still be out there and willing to rejoin. Especially Lisa, my Froslass. She and Ty as Ghost types are still alive, most likely. So should Goopy as a Dragon. There was a reason for my choice of who to take along.

    Then again, I don¡¯t really need to stick to a team of six. I can go with more or even with less. As a Ranger especially I¡¯d be expected to hold back on a large team. The pay usually just isn¡¯t enough to care for more than two or three battle-ready Pok¨¦mon. I should read up on Ranger policies, though. They might not be allowed to pick too many wild berries. Thinking about it, I never really saw any trainers using resources of the wild. Was that some kind of rule or just a lack of knowledge?

    After another break deeper in the cave we turn around only to be stopped in the very next cave. Somehow, a Golbat has found his way onto the main path along with a small flock of Zubat. A total of seven Pok¨¦mon. They look strong if a little malnourished. The large bat shrieks as it spots us making Gligar tremble. His claws manage to draw blood this time. I hold one of them steadily while meeting the big guy¡¯s eyes. He sees the challenge and I step forward. Gligar trembles even more.

    ¡°I will protect you,¡± I whisper to him. He only manages a whimper as answer. That¡¯s good. He can act even with whatever caused his trauma.

    The Golbat grins at Gligar and hisses something very offensive. The Zubat let out hissing cackles.

    ¡°No,¡± I say ¡°He won¡¯t fight you. I will.¡±

    That serves to shut them up but Gligar only trembles more. I let a vicious grin run over my face.

    ¡°Lulu, protection,¡± I say calmly as I pull on my soul. If possible, I want to finish this in one attack. Electric TE rushes into my body, hiding just underneath my skin. The Golbat hasn¡¯t noticed it yet and is cackling something offensive again. I ignore him in favour of shaping the move I have in mind. A crackle of electricity escapes my control and jumps between the fingers of my free hand.

    The Golbat snarls in anger and rushes out a Wing Attack. As it shoots towards me, I let the Electric TE free. Bolts of yellow lightning expand outwards in all directions. Gligar isn¡¯t harmed thanks to his Ground Typing and Lulu stands right behind me redirecting those that would hit my parents or the other Pok¨¦mon to herself or into the walls. The Flying Pok¨¦mon in front of me, though? They are not so lucky.

    Crackling energy jumps between them bouncing back and forth. A particularly nasty shock makes the Golbat¡¯s wing twitch and sends him straight into the ground. Which is lucky because now the energy can dissipate. It¡¯s also unlucky because it only does so through him.

    When the noise finally calms down, the Zubat are on the ground, twitching slightly. The Golbat is breathing heavily but he has already shaken off the paralysing side effects of my Discharge. He pushes himself at me with what¡¯s probably pure force of will and I quickly jump back only for a rock to hit his head and send him to the ground again. This time, he doesn¡¯t get up.

    A rumbling sound makes me turn to the side tunnel leading deeper into the mountains. A snout-like rock comes into the light, two huge eyes right above it. A spiky ridge nearly scrapes the ceiling. The stone is almost black, rather than the normal grey. The Onix regards the scene carefully. I would have expected more aggression but I guess this was a trainer¡¯s Pok¨¦mon at some point, huh?

    I incline my head.

    ¡°Thanks for the help. Were you looking for these guys?¡±

    Gligar is hiding his head behind my back even more than before. He is completely still now. I misjudged. The cause of his trauma wasn¡¯t a Golbat.

    Onix rumbles with an unexpectedly gentle voice as he surveys the rest of the room. He lingers on Lili and Lulu for a little longer than everyone else, assessing a possible threat.

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re with me. These two at least. Machop is Dad¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. Mum isn¡¯t a trainer.¡±

    Another rumble comes from his throat.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think so? Mum, Dad, one of you want to catch a Zubat? Or the Golbat?¡±

    They blink before shaking their heads. Onix looks at Mum and grumbles again.

    ¡°He¡¯s saying you should not leave the city without a Pok¨¦mon of your own¡­¡± I translate ¡°and kind of insisting you take one of these.¡±

    The stone snake gives me a thankful nod.

    ¡°I¡­ um,¡± Mum stammers ¡°Thank you but I won¡¯t leave without my husband. Or someone else that has a Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Onix shakes his head and turns to pick one of the Zubat up in his mouth. He is surprisingly gentle as he drops her right in front of Mum who just barely manages to catch the bat. Then he turns to me and rumbles again.

    ¡°Okay. I get it!¡± I raise my hands to placate him ¡°Mum, this Golbat was leading a group of his offspring to find worthy trainers. They don¡¯t have enough food in their hunting grounds for how many Pok¨¦mon there are so taking a Zubat off his hands is going to make it safer for everyone. You don¡¯t have to raise her but we should at least bring her to someone capable.¡±

    Mum looks even more confused now so I turn back to Onix.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find a place for her. Tell Golbat to be a little more careful. If someone steps up for a fight they usually know what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    Onix laughs with his deep rumbling voice before turning and leaving down the tunnel. The bats follow him on a podium of shifting earth. Mum wants to raise a hand and call after them but the Zubat almost falling out of her arms distracts her. The little bat is strong looking but a little malnourished now that I get a closer look. Gligar whimpers into my back again and I pat his claw that¡¯s still digging into my shoulder.

    ¡°See, that wasn¡¯t so bad, right?¡± I say ¡°I¡¯ll protect you. And if I can¡¯t, Lili is there. You¡¯re not alone anymore.¡±

    That makes him hide his face in my neck again.

    ¡°I would however appreciate it if you stopped cutting into my shoulder.¡±

    With a squeak he lets go and drops to the ground behind me. I wince as his claws pull out of my flesh.

    ¡°Aahh! Zoe! What did you do?¡± Mum shrieks waking up the Zubat in her arms. I take out an Oran Berry from my satchel and take a large bite.

    ¡°Gligar was scared and forgot to control his strength,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    The Zubat suddenly shrieks and starts flapping. Mum panics and nearly drops her again until Lulu growls and makes the little bat shut up.

    ¡°Well, do you want to take care of her, Mum, or do you want to give her to someone else?¡±

    Zubat squeaks as I turn to Gligar and kneel next to where he¡¯s still laying on the ground.

    ¡°You good?¡±

    He hides his face behind his wings and mumbles something too quietly to hear.

    ¡°I can¡¯t understand you, Gligar. But I¡¯m not angry with you. You were scared and I dragged you right to the front. That¡¯s more on me than on you. And I¡¯m already better, see?¡±

    I swallow the last bit of Oran and take out a piece of cloth to wipe away the blood. Underneath is the soft pink skin of a newly closed wound. Gligar slowly lowers his wings until his eyes just peek out from behind them. They widen when he sees my shoulder.

    ¡°Gligar?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Yep. All healed up. Oran berries are great for small scratches like this.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­?¡± dad says ¡°You¡­ but¡­ Berries only work on Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true at all, Dad. They just work less on humans. It¡¯s an interaction with Type Energy, I think? I still have some Electric TE which makes the Berry react with my body and fixes any wounds. Just need a new shirt¡­¡±

    I start digging through my satchel and find what I need. It only takes a minute and I have a spare Survey Corps uniform in hand. Lulu is already covering me from sight and I quickly slip out of my tee and into the jacket. The ruined shirt goes back into the satchel.

    I bend down to cuddle Gligar.

    ¡°You held on really well, buddy. And now you know a little more about us. So, want to get stronger?¡±

    He sits up and looks at me. Determination glints in his eyes.

    ¡°Gligar!¡± he says.

    ¡°Great,¡± I pick him up ¡°Then I officially welcome you to the team. We¡¯ll get a look at where you¡¯re standing later and I¡¯ll have you train with us.¡±

    He nods resolutely before snuggling against me again.

    I turn back to my parents where Mum is still a little confused by everything that just happened. Still, I can see in her expression that she is already thinking about what the little Zubat needs. The bat is no longer trembling and instead quietly squeaks at Mum¡¯s fingers that gently rub the top of her head.

    ¡°Do you have a Pok¨¦ball?¡± I ask.

    Dad pulls one from his bag.

    ¡°Always good to carry a few. Just in case.¡±

    He points it at Zubat who hisses at his fingers.

    ¡°Hey, hey! It¡¯s alright. Here, I¡¯m just gonna give it to Serena. She¡¯s my wife so you¡¯ll be around both of us no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Mum looks at him.

    ¡°Or do you not want to take care of Zubat?¡±

    ¡°I¡­,¡± she sighs ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m not a trainer, Zubat. I won¡¯t go out battling with you. At least not often.¡±

    Zubat squeaks. A whole lot.

    ¡°She says she¡¯s strong and you should be strong too,¡± I translate at Mum¡¯s confusion.

    The bat nods and lets out what sounds a little like a purr. When Lili walks up and chirps to introduce herself, I turn to look at the tunnel Onix came from. I can still see a few loose rocks where he moved. Bending down, I take a closer look. The traces on the ground are a little darker, especially where there¡¯s bare rock. It looks almost black. I rub at it with my fingers and it crumbles loose softly. This Onix is close to evolution. It has already coated itself with a lot of iron and coal. Only a few more fights and some digging and it might refine its skin into a proper Metal Coat and evolve into Steelix. If I¡¯m lucky, it¡¯ll get there before my next attempt at the circuit and we can have a proper battle. Lili could use the exercise.

    I hear the telltale snap-hiss from a Pok¨¦ball and turn to see Mum having just caught Zubat. The Ball only shakes once. She lets the little bat out immediately and Zubat perches on her hair.

    ¡°That just happened¡­,¡± Mum says to everyone¡¯s amusement.

    ¡°That it did, Mum. Let¡¯s get going, now. Dad has to catch his shift.¡±

    They nod and we make our way back to Oreburgh. Nothing much happens on the trip other than Zubat expressing some distress at the sunlight and wanting to go back into her Ball.

    I give Dad a hug just before he leaves for work.

    ¡°Today was great. Let¡¯s do this more often before the Circuit starts again.¡±

    He laughs and ruffles my hair.

    ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s. Now, I really gotta go, soo¡­ If you could let me go?¡±

    I smirk.

    ¡°Can¡¯t get away from your daughter? Guess you¡¯ll have to call in.¡±

    He laughs and tries to pry off my arms. Keyword is ¡®try¡¯. I¡¯m holding tight and he doesn¡¯t want to hurt me. I give in after a bit and watch him go with a big smile on my face.

    ¡°Have fun with your friends!¡± he calls with a wave.

 008 Challengers

    School is going to take a little longer today so my friends won¡¯t be out all that soon. I find myself lounging in our living room with Lili exploring the shelves filled with all kinds of media. There are books, which she knows about, and other things like CDs, DVDs, and a set of hardware to play them. As well as the TV, of course. Somehow, Lili is more fascinated by the advertisements than the actual content. She is complaining about the taste of food she¡¯s never eaten with such gusto, I can¡¯t help but laugh.

    Mum is sitting next to me, though I¡¯m keeping a little distance. She¡¯s drinking coffee again. I have to translate a few of the things Lili says but she¡¯s mostly focused on the little Zubat in her lap.

    And I don¡¯t say that just because she¡¯s young. Mum¡¯s Zubat is about 15% smaller than average, especially when you consider how powerful she is for her age. The little bat is a pure bundle of lithe muscle. Every little bit of nutrition went into training. I find my eyes keep being drawn to her since I¡¯ve never seen something like this in wild Pok¨¦mon. Normally, they always build some fat reserves for hard times. It¡¯d be impossible to guarantee survival, otherwise.

    Nadya, as Mum has decided to call her, is contently chewing on some Pok¨¦-Chow. The very same thing Lili keeps complaining about but Zubat is not discouraged. In fact, she seems to enjoy every bite. And the scritches. Mum is carefully massaging her back with the tips of her fingers. I can see why wild Pok¨¦mon might bank on finding a trainer. This is a much easier life. It always was, even back in Hisui, there just weren¡¯t enough people to give every Pok¨¦mon a home. Or even just enough that it was likely to find one.

    I grab my notebook and make sure to write down my thoughts as the others continue to play around. A few questions come to mind that might be worth exploring. Primarily, if there¡¯s a difference between Pok¨¦mon living close to a well-travelled Route and those further out in the wild. Or if the latter travel to a Route with their offspring. Maybe I should visit Gary again, ask how their thunder is doing things.

    I shake my head as Lili chirps angrily.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m done. What¡¯s up?¡±

    She perks up and points at the screen. When I look over, I see Cynthia standing in front of a crowd of reporters. An official Pok¨¦mon League press conference. Some text is scrolling along the bottom. It reads:

    ¡®New Circuit Season to start with a bang. What challengers will this year bring?¡¯

    I listen a little but there¡¯s not much of interest there. At least not for me. Mum is watching with much more interest. And Nadya is listening closely. The little Zubat is practically vibrating with excitement. I tap on Mum¡¯s shoulder and she doesn¡¯t even react so I return my focus to the TV.

    Cynthia is just finished with her speech about the tradition of battling in Sinnoh. A lot of stuff about fairness and the integrity of the sport. I should really get a rulebook, lest I get disqualified. The screen switches to a group of five people sitting in a loose half-circle in comfy chairs. I recognize Volkner, and Candice, sort of. Volkner looks like Ginter from the Ginkgo Guild. A very friendly merchant that helped out Jubilife Village a lot. Candice looks similar to Clover from the bandit trio that was mostly just annoying back in Hisui. They are also familiar from my time before Hisui as they were recognizable Gym Leaders even then, well, a month ago, but I only make the connection now. Capable people will have capable descendants, huh?

    The other two are complete strangers. Lauded as high-ranking Trainers from the last Lily of the Valley Conference, I probably have seen them before. They just escaped my mind with everything that happened¡­

    Their names are displayed as Tobias, Allrounder, and Rhyan Zhang, Fighting Specialist. I don¡¯t know why Tobias doesn¡¯t have a last name shown. Maybe he wants to distance himself from his family?

    The last person is a moderator going by Gina Ritlock and is very enthusiastic in her greeting.

    ¡°Welcome trainers and people of Sinnoh, though there¡¯s not much of a difference, is there?¡±

    The others chuckle.

    ¡°It¡¯s this time of the year again. Only three more weeks until the Circuit festival starts and trainers young and old from all over the region set out for honour and glory once again. With me are the Gym Leaders Volkner and Candice, as well as last year¡¯s top two Conference contenders, Tobias and Rhyan. Tell me, Candice, how excited are you for this season?¡±

    The woman¡¯s brown pigtails shake as she turns her head.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to look forward to. I already know about a few pros coming back from a break, like Lucas and Barry. They took Sinnoh by storm the last time they tried their hands at the Circuit and that was, at least for Barry, the very first attempt. It¡¯s not every day a beginner makes it all the way to the Conference. I¡¯m looking forward to their challenges.¡±

    ¡°The usual group is also running again,¡± Rhyan cuts in ¡°I¡¯m not reaching far when I say the competition is stacked.¡±

    I yawn as they keep talking about ¡®interesting¡¯ people coming back to compete. Lili has also lost some of her focus and is cuddling again. Together, we observe Mum and Nadya who are watching with rapt attention. Well, Nadya is listening. The lack of eyes makes it a little difficult to see the screen. I have to admit, I¡¯m a little concerned. But also curious. Mum is one of the few people who never attempted a Circuit. I never asked why.

    A voice I haven¡¯t heard yet rips me out of my thoughts. Volkner is speaking for the first time.

    ¡°Lots of people are coming by this year. I¡¯m only interested in one. Cynthia told me about her and her special Liligant. I hear the Champ almost lost in a friendly match.¡±

    Lili chirps and I giggle.

    Tobias gives him a glare.

    ¡°A friendly match is not a Gym Battle, let alone the Conference.¡±

    Volkner raises an eyebrow.

    ¡°If you ever fought her you would know that Cynthia never holds back. There¡¯s a reason she doesn¡¯t open the Conference with a show match. It would be a stomp. Every single time.¡±

    ¡°So you say,¡± Gina interrupts ¡°But can you really go all out every single time?¡±

    Volkner grins.

    ¡°Cynthia is the best precisely because of that,¡± he states with finality ¡°She is everything I aspire to be.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Candice smirks ¡°Is that why so few people ever pass your Gym Challenge?¡±

    He nods and leans back.

    ¡°And do you have any more details on this new challenger?¡± Gina asks.

    ¡°You will know when you see her fight.¡±

    I share a glance with Lili.

    ¡°Now I almost don''t want to go for the Circuit,¡± I say.

    Lili giggles.

    ¡°But maybe I¡¯ll just use Lulu for the first few fights. Gligar might be able to help out as well if we are smart about strategy.¡±

    Mum looks at me. There¡¯s another ad playing in the background.

    ¡°Zoe¡­¡± she begins. She¡¯s chewing on her lip.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Do you think¡­ I could go for the Circuit?¡±

    Nadya hisses happily.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the rule set. But you should be concerned about your job, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    She shrinks back in on herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop you, though. Why exactly do you want to go for it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ just want to.¡±

    Her face is stubborn. I lean over to give her a hug.

    ¡°Then do it,¡± I say ¡°After you talked to Dad about it. With both of us out and travelling, he might get lonely.¡±

    Mum holds her head between her hands.

    ¡°Urgh¡­ So much to think about.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve had Nadya for all of like 4 hours. Take it slow. Wanna come join us for training on the weekend?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    I laugh. Looks like Mum is excited about more than just history.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to think about the first Gym you take. Most people do Oreburgh but with Nadya¡¯s typing you might want to skip it. Gardenia is a much easier match-up.¡±

    She nods and stands up to get a notebook.

    ¡°Teach me!¡±

    Nadya hisses from her shoulder.

    ¡°Alright. Come here,¡± I beckon the Zubat.

    She turns her head questioningly at Mum who nods after a moment. Then she pushes off and shoots right at me. She barely manages to slow down to softly impact my body.

    ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s get a proper look at you.¡±

    I start poking and prodding the bat while talking about my findings.

    ¡°You lack nutrition. Even with all your training, your stamina won¡¯t be very good.¡±

    She squeaks in protest.

    ¡°That said, your muscles are formed properly. You are built for speed and rapid strikes. With your size, it will be difficult to hit your opponent for a lot of damage in a single move so you should look to whittle them down. That¡¯s why your stamina is an issue.¡±

    The squeak is a little quieter this time.

    ¡°All that can be rectified with time, and evolution. What¡¯s important is that you build a proper base. Keep moving and eat well. Spread your wings for me?¡±

    Nadya obliges. I run my hands along the bony fingers holding up the leathery purple membranes.

    ¡°Your wings have grown well. Sometimes, malnutrition can lead to swelling around the tendons. Your surfaces are smooth and even. You¡¯ll have an easy time moving quickly but you will need to practice a little more for tight manoeuvres. The joint looks strong. If you ever feel it chafe or itch, you need to rest. No matter what. If you don¡¯t, you might get an infection. Healthy food will help prevent that.¡±

    This time she squeaks in acceptance.

    ¡°Your ears move well. Did you practice a lot to be able to figure out your surroundings?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. You¡¯ll have to see how well you do in more open areas than the caves you grew up in. Now for your teeth. They¡¯re a little on the large side for a female Zubat of your size but still not that long. You won¡¯t be able to rely on them to break through tough defences. Aim for weak points if you want to go for an Absorb, or a Leech Life later down as a Golbat. That¡¯s all I have, for now. You got that?¡±

    Nadya looks a little confused but Mum nods. Her pen scratches a few more words on her notepad before she looks up at me.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of information. How much should she eat, exactly?¡±

    ¡°That depends on how much you exercise. At least until she feels full and then a few more bites. If you train until exhaustion, get something light right after. Berry Juice, water, or even some blood. Though the latter would only be available if you hunt for wild Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Mum looks worried.

    ¡°That¡¯s not even allowed, is it?¡±

    ¡°No idea. I tried to avoid it wherever I could but Wild Pok¨¦mon hunt each other for food. I can see how too many trainers could make that a problem. Oh, right. If she has problems changing directions quickly, you can have her exercise only her twin tail. That is the most important part of her body for manoeuvring. Trying to grip something with it usually helps a lot.¡±

    Mum taps the pen to her chin and nods a few times.

    ¡°Okay. That¡¯s a lot. But I¡¯ll figure it out. We will.¡±

    Nadya squeaks in agreement.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯m going to hang out with Mes for a bit before meeting the others. Okay?¡±

    Mum is already deep in her notes and mumbling all kinds of things. She gives me a distracted nod and I recall Lili before preparing my Teleport. I even start a timer on my phone this time. When the move finally finishes and I¡¯m back in Lake Verity¡¯s cavern, I quickly take a look. 33 minutes, give or take. Slow but acceptable. I have almost a full hour with Mes before I have to channel my Type Energy again to make it in time for meeting my friends.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Squeeee!¡± Mesprit slams into me.

    I hold her tight and spin with the energy of her charge.

    ¡°Let¡¯s play!¡± she sends to my mind.

    I smile and let out my Pok¨¦mon.

    The next few hours are very exhausting. I had not even noticed how much the sudden loss of power impacted me since I only used a few moves in a row at most. Sure, they were weaker but¡­ I just felt a little slow. Under Mesprit¡¯s watchful eyes, I finally start to see the real problems. I can hold out less than five minutes of continuous switching of types and moves. If it¡¯s just one that I can channel it¡¯s easier but even there, Teleport is an exception. That move stores the Type Energy in a closed area around me and I can pump in as much as I get. Something like a Flamethrower on the other hand needs a certain amount of energy every second or it just fizzles out. I¡¯m completely spent less than two minutes in just keeping it up at the bare minimum level.

    We end up taking a lot of breaks which I use to carefully look over Gligar¡¯s physical condition. He is underfed in a different way than Mum¡¯s new Zubat. Part of that is his body being surrounded by a carapace instead of skin which makes the effect less immediately obvious. You need to look closely to see the spots where it has started to change colour from its deep pink to a washed-out rose tone. His wing membranes are also a little rough though that looks more like battle scars. Falling rocks from a tunnel ceiling could result in something like that. I carefully apply some handmade Potion to it. He¡¯ll be back up to top condition in a week at most under my care. Rations plus berries can get any Pok¨¦mon back on its legs, as long as they want to.

    In the end, I stay a little too long because I have to rest after a particularly exhausting attempt at a Psychic. The move just straight up failed because I couldn¡¯t gather enough energy in time with all the intense practising. Mesprit decides to just Teleport us back home after that. She wants to hang out more, anyways.

    When I step out of my room, Mum is sitting at the kitchen table with a huge pile of notes in front of her. She¡¯s tapping on her phone and quietly talking to Nadya. She jumps when I give her a hug from behind, making the Zubat laugh. Mesprit also giggles behind me.

    ¡°Lesson number one,¡± I say ¡°Always pay attention to your surroundings.¡±

    ¡°Zoe!¡± she complains ¡°You¡­! Ah, do you think we should rush for the evolution? Zubat seems to be a rather weak Pok¨¦mon before that and we could use the time to figure out how to evolve her into a Crobat.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I say ¡°At least not yet. Figure out some decent moves and you¡¯ll be good. Poison Fang or Cross Poison and then a Gust or Air Cutter should be a good basis. Add in Supersonic and maybe Hypnosis later on and you¡¯ll have a good basis to work off. Mean Look can be useful, too. Quick Guard is an extra you can learn if you have the time but you should probably focus on Absorb first. That will allow Nadya to stay in combat for longer. Maybe you can figure out Leech Life as well, before the evolution.¡±

    Mum is furiously scribbling down more notes.

    ¡°Okay. But why not evolve first?¡±

    ¡°It will stunt Nadya¡¯s growth as a fighter. If you push her to fight enough to evolve right now, she will have an even harder time catching up with where she should be. Just take it slow, okay?¡±

    The bat nods meekly. She already looks a little tired.

    ¡°The biggest part is getting used to sunlight. Otherwise, she won¡¯t be able to protect you when you go out. That will take a lot of energy. Make sure you¡¯re always there, Mum. And you might want to build up your own stamina as well.¡±

    The doorbell interrupts my impromptu lesson.

    ¡°Thank you, sweetie. Go get your friends.¡±

    I cuddle her quickly before moving to the door. Mesprit already opened it and is letting my friends in. They each give me a hug before we file inside. Nadya hisses a greeting that makes Mel finch.

    ¡°Um, hello?¡± she says.

    ¡°Mum caught her earlier today. She just said hi.¡±

    ¡°Oh, hello everyone,¡± Mum finally looks up ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m a little busy. Can I get you all something?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mum. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    She nods and sinks back into all of her data. Looks like her job is helping her find an approach to all this. Data analysis was always her thing.

    When we¡¯re all in my room with drinks in hand, scattered on my bed and the ground, Min looks at me.

    ¡°Why did your Mum catch that Zubat?¡± she asks.

    ¡°That was a bit of a chance encounter. We went hiking earlier today and the Zubat¡¯s family was trying to find trainers to take some of their young ones with them. That Onix in Oreburgh Gate sort of forced us to take her along. I don¡¯t really know why but Mum already got attached. She¡¯s thinking about trying the Circuit next season.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Your Mum? Wasn¡¯t she one of those people that never did an attempt?¡± Sara asks

    ¡°Yup. She¡¯s coming along for the training session on the weekend. We¡¯ll have to see how it goes.¡±

    ¡°Okay. About that, what are we gonna do, exactly?¡± Min asks ¡°Do we just do some battling?¡±

    ¡°Playing!¡± Mesprit sends to all of us. I grin.

    ¡°I say we take a trip out of city and just hang out. I want to take a look at your Pok¨¦mon, see where they¡¯re at. Then some basic exercise and we can figure out where to go from there. We can start today by talking about general strategy and figure out what we need for the Circuit.¡±

    Mel nods.

    ¡°Like what Pok¨¦mon we want to catch? Sounds good.¡±

    ¡°Right. So, for the Circuit¡­ We¡¯re doing the standard path?¡±

    Everyone nods.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start straight in Oreburgh,¡± Sara says ¡°It¡¯s the second attempt, we can skip the double trip through the Gate.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing. We can schedule battles for the first week. I¡¯ll want to figure out what to do, exactly.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Zoe?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see the press conference today, right?¡±

    They shake their heads.

    ¡°Apparently, Cynthia has already told the other Gym Leaders about me. Volkner¡¯s only contribution to the talk-show afterwards was that he was looking forward to battling the girl with the ¡®weird Liligant¡¯, soo¡­ I¡¯m thinking I¡¯ll try to solo with Lulu. Maybe Gligar can be ready by the time we make it to Gardenia.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯ll be that easy?¡± Min asks. She looks conflicted.

    ¡°I am a little worried about what Roark said yesterday. If I have to battle his main team of six Pok¨¦mon, it¡¯ll be tough without Lili. Does anyone know what his main team is?¡±

    ¡°He definitely has an Onix,¡± Sara says ¡°And a Cranidos is often his ace against newer trainers so probably a Rampardos? High chance he has a Golem as well. Other than that¡­ it¡¯s a little more open. I¡¯d think another fossil or two. You can probably take out any Steel/Rock mixed types. Those are more of his father¡¯s thing. So no Bastiodon, Probopass, Steelix, or Aggron. I¡¯d expect some dual-typings that neutralize a weakness or two. The Kanto fossils fit that. Hmm¡­ anything else?¡±

    I close my mouth.

    ¡°That helps a lot, thanks. I can work with that. He¡¯ll want to have Flying-Type moves so I should read up on Aerodactyl. Does he use many Pok¨¦mon from other regions?¡±

    ¡°Not too often, I think. Other than the fossils. But if you think ¡®powerful Rock Types¡¯ you can¡¯t forget about Tyranitar. Never seen him with one.¡±

    ¡°The Gym Leaders don¡¯t battle with their main team all that often, huh?¡±

    ¡°I hear they only use it against each other or in emergencies. Even the Gym Trainers sometimes don¡¯t know.¡±

    Min blinks furiously.

    ¡°Is that why you got so far last time?¡± she asks.

    ¡°The power of information,¡± Sara grins.

    ¡°Then what does Roark do against newer trainers? We all have his badge so it¡¯ll be a little higher level even for us, right?¡±

    ¡°Most likely. He usually tests you with a Geodude and then decides where to go from there. Onix, Cranidos, more Geodude, sometimes even a Graveler. A Nosepass or Anorith on rare occasions. Maybe Probopass isn¡¯t that unlikely¡­¡±

    ¡°Anorith?¡± I ask.

    ¡°A Rock-Bug Type fossil. Evolves into Armaldo. Strong but slow physical attacker. Decent bulk.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± I make ¡°And I thought I was the encyclopedia¡­¡±

    Sara blushes.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Then what about me?¡± Mel asks.

    ¡°You want to go for the badges too, right? Not just do contests while travelling with us?¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­ two or three would be nice¡­¡±

    ¡°Then you should build your team around those and fit them into your contests,¡± Sara says ¡°Gym Battles are too difficult to do half-heartedly.¡±

    ¡°So something for Gardenia and¡­ Who¡¯s the third?¡±

    ¡°People usually pick and choose their best match-up between Maylene, Crasher Wake, and Fantina. So, Fighting, Water, or Ghost. All three of them are equally difficult. Candice and Byron are very out of the way from that point if you want to keep going and Volkner is insanity unless you are Conference material.

    ¡°You already have some good defence for Wake but starting at the third Gym you¡¯ll always battle at least three Pok¨¦mon so you should have at least that many yourself.¡±

    ¡°Unless you¡¯re Zoe,¡± Min grins.

    ¡°Unless you¡¯ve had two decades of practice in a very lethal wilderness,¡± I say.

    ¡°Um, lethal?¡± Mel asks ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, right?¡±

    ¡°Large parts of Sinnoh were pure wilderness about 200 years ago,¡± I say ¡°Jubilife was just founded and there were two tent villages of the native clans where you can now find Hearthone and Snowpoint City. And Cogita¡¯s place that turned into Celestic Town. Between that, it was all wilderness.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s much safer, nowadays,¡± Sara adds ¡°At least on the Routes. And Zoe¡¯s gonna be there, just in case. Right?¡±

    Mes pats my head to get my attention.

    ¡°You wanted to do the Gym¡¯s fast?¡± she asks into all our minds.

    I laugh.

    ¡°As I said, I¡¯ll see how it goes with Roark. If it¡¯s easy, I¡¯ll have you Teleport me between Gyms and join you guys after that. That should be fine, right?¡±

    My friends nod slowly.

    ¡°It¡¯s still freaky that you¡¯re even considering that,¡± Sara says ¡°If I didn¡¯t see your battle with Cynthia yesterday, I¡¯d call you insane.¡±

    ¡°Feel free to do that anyway!¡± I say and we share a laugh.

    ¡°So, teams!¡± Mel says ¡°What ideas does everyone have?¡±

    I look around waiting for one of the others to begin. Min looks a little conflicted but Sara seems determined. Mel is trying to avoid going first by asking the question so I know she¡¯s nervous, too. Sara ends up going first.

    ¡°I have Buizel and Craig, my Kricketot. Evolving Buizel into Floatzel should net me the first two badges with some smart strategizing. After that I¡¯m looking at a Grass Type for Wake and a Flying Type for Maylene. With the Grass Type being a supporter and the Flyer bringing utility outside of battle I¡¯ll only really need some ranged attackers to round out my team.¡±

    ¡°Looks like a plan. Anything specific?¡±

    ¡°The Oddish line is probably my best shot. Maybe a Liligant? Not like your Lili but a normal one. For Flyers I¡¯ll just take a Staraptor or Crobat, most likely. Their first stages are everywhere and there¡¯s lots of knowledge about how to get them going, besides the fact that Crobat¡¯s evolution seems a bit random.¡±

    Min squirms a bit.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got so much planned out already¡­,¡± she says ¡°How do you do that?¡±

    ¡°I just like the pay-off,¡± Sara shrugs with a grin.

    ¡°Right¡­ So, I have a Diglett and a Ponita. Not the best options for Roark but Diglett should get there. Ponita is good to take on Gardenia and then¡­ I honestly have no idea.¡±

    ¡°You already have two very fast Pok¨¦mon there,¡± Sara says ¡°Maybe go for that theme? At least loosely. It¡¯ll make the later gyms much easier if you already know the type of battling you do.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your type?¡±

    ¡°Information and planning. I don¡¯t need special Pok¨¦mon, I need ones that are really well-known so I can build on the experience of thousands of other trainers.¡±

    ¡°I can help you with some of the less common picks if you run into one,¡± I say ¡°At least if they¡¯re native species.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°What would be good fast Pok¨¦mon to go for, then?¡±

    ¡°Electrode,¡± I say ¡°Annoying little buggers. Jolteon, if you can get one. Or Crobat, again. Weavile if you want an Ice Type.¡±

    ¡°Also some other Flyers,¡± Sara says ¡°Swellow and Talonflame come to mind. Not native but very quick.¡±

    ¡°Alakazam,¡± I add ¡°If you want to get something for Mylene that¡¯s not weak against Volkner and Candice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really thinking that far, to be honest. And a Flyer seems good to have¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re all gonna get a Crobat,¡± I groan ¡°With Nadya that¡¯d be three at least. What about you, Mel?¡±

    ¡°The typing is really good into Gardenia. But I don¡¯t know. I was thinking Oddish or Budew for a second Pok¨¦mon. Something simple to raise with lots of potential.¡±

    ¡°I can help you much more with a Roserade than a Vileplume. Oddish wasn¡¯t around in Hisui.¡±

    "They''re still pretty rare, here," Sara says.

    ¡°Right. Maybe I¡¯ll aim for Budew? Then I already have something for Wake so¡­ a Flyer, again? Do I need one?¡±

    ¡°Not really. Psychic or Ghost types would also be helpful for both Fantina and Mylene if you know how to play them. Though Ghosts can be fickle.¡±

    ¡°I always wanted a Froslass¡­,¡± Mel mutters.

    I laugh.

    ¡°Well, Snorunt live up north. We can set out from Eterna City to try and find one, probably. I wonder if Lisa is still around?¡±

    ¡°Lisa?¡± Min asks.

    ¡°The Froslass I had in my main team. She has a good chance of staying alive for all that time. That¡¯s the main issue with primary Ghost Types. You¡¯ll often have very old Pok¨¦mon that¡¯d rather play pranks than train.¡±

    Mel nods.

    ¡°I want to go for a Froslass. Maybe not as my third but no later than the fourth.¡±

    ¡°And Fire Types, what we talked about yesterday?¡± I say

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What options do I have besides Ponita and Chimchar?¡±

    ¡°Vulpix and Growlithe, which live East of the mountains. The Magmar line if you¡¯re lucky. Those are the natives, really. Flareon, of course. Or you can take look at Talonflame?¡±

    She looks unconvinced.

    ¡°Vulpix are cute, so are Growlithe, but I haven¡¯t heard of them native to Sinnoh.¡±

    ¡°I hope they¡¯re still around. We can take a look once we get there.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Sara claps her hands ¡°I think we all have a basic idea of what to go for. I¡¯m catching Oddish or Petilil next with Starly or Zubat after that. Min?¡±

    ¡°Um. Yeah. I¡¯m getting¡­ Electrode or Weavile? That¡¯s Voltorb or Sneasle, right? And maybe a fast Flyer after that. I¡¯ll see¡­¡±

    She looks deep in thought, already going over her options. Maybe she¡¯s really gunning for an Eevee. I¡¯ll have to see if the families I know are still around¡­

    ¡°Mel?¡± Sara says.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m looking for a Budew, right now. Keeping my eyes open for interesting Fire Types along the road. And I¡¯m catching a Snorunt at some point.¡±

    ¡°And Zoe?¡±

    I shrug.

    ¡°I have Gligar to train and if any other Pok¨¦mon want to join me I¡¯ll take care of them. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m fine with Lili and Lulu for the Gyms. Even with the Leaders going all out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a wrap, I think,¡± Sara says ¡°We got our strategies to work on, now that we know where we¡¯re going. Before we get anywhere we have to beat Roark again so let¡¯s plan for that.¡±

    We end up taking well into the evening to get everyone¡¯s strategy ready. Mel has the easiest time with a single evolved Pok¨¦mon. Sara already knows what she wants to do but is very open to more ideas. Min is having trouble believing in her Diglett. It¡¯s a real risk to just get knocked out and then be at a severe disadvantage. I talk her through some ideas of how to utilize Ponita which calms her down. At some point, Mes falls asleep on my lap so I gently deposit her in my bed.

    When my friends leave, I can¡¯t help but grin at Mum still sitting at the kitchen table, even more data before her. She swapped to working with a laptop at some point which Nadya is sleeping on top of. The warm device seems to make for a comfortable bed. Which makes me yawn and bid her goodnight before finding the way to my own bed as well and cuddling up with my pink buddy.

 009 Identity

    I¡¯m once again standing in the Oreburgh Gym. This time, I¡¯m not here for a fight. I¡¯m waiting for Cynthia and the League Alakazam that¡¯ll be teleporting us to Sandgem.

    It¡¯s early in the morning and the place is nearly empty. Many trainers will get up early when on the road but it seems half an hour past dawn is too much for them, especially out of season. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m here this early. Cynthia said to meet at 7:30 in the morning which is¡­ I glance at the clock on the wall for the third time in two minutes. A little over 40 minutes still¡­ Sigh¡­

    At least I have Mes and Lili to cuddle. The two receptionists occasionally look over here with weird looks in their eyes. Right¡­ the press conference. They might think I¡¯m the trainer Volkner mentioned, especially since they saw me with Cynthia two days ago. They were both working then as well.

    Mes is still sleepy and I try not to jostle her too much as I observe the TV showing even more League matches from the last season. Lili is quite interested in them. I might not have a choice but let her fight the first battle with Roark, simply because she¡¯ll be too excited. She was always the most combat-focused in my team. How a dancing plant can be more driven than a dragon is something I still don¡¯t quite understand. Especially since it¡¯s just Lili. No other Grass Type I ever met enjoyed fighting as much as she does.

    I hear steps coming up behind me and glance over. A teenage boy maybe a little older than me walks up. He looks very familiar.

    ¡°Rei?¡± I say quietly.

    ¡°Huh? No, Rei was my great-grandfather. I¡¯m Lucas.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Sorry, you look a lot like him.¡±

    He blinks.

    ¡°How would you know that?¡±

    I wave him off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ You¡¯re Zoe, right? Cynthia told me about you.¡±

    ¡°She did?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m coming with you guys to Sandgem. I just spent some time on Mount Coronet training for the next Season. Gotta get some rest before it starts, though.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Nice to meet you. Aren¡¯t you one of the Trainers that Rhyan guy mentioned yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me!¡± he grins ¡°And judging from the weird Liligant there, you¡¯re the Trainer Volkner mentioned.¡±

    I groan.

    ¡°Yes. I gotta stomp him for that.¡±

    ¡°And you even know Mesprit, I see. Did you catch her?¡±

    The bundle on my lap digs deeper into my clothes making me giggle.

    ¡°She¡¯s not my Pok¨¦mon, no. We¡¯re just friends. How do you know her?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ long story. I can¡¯t tell just anyone¡­¡±

    ¡°The Red Night, then?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­ How?¡±

    ¡°Cynthia told me. It¡¯s fine. So what do you do besides training your Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°I¡­,¡± Rei, no, Lucas sits down. He really looks just like him.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Lab Trainer for Professor Rowan so I¡¯m mostly just running around and doing field research.¡±

    ¡°Oh, nice. I¡¯ve done a bunch of that as well.¡±

    He blinks.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve seen you around the Lab¡­¡±

    I look down at Mes and carefully probe her mind. She¡¯s paying more attention than her behaviour makes it look like.

    ¡°Can I trust him?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she sends back ¡°He makes good Poffins.¡±

    I laugh making R¡­ Lucas look at me strangely.

    ¡°Sorry, yeah. I worked with Professor Laventon, mostly. And Akari and Rei. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve been to Sandgem much after they started building in the area.¡±

    He blinks. Then he blinks again. Slowly, he turns his head away to one of the TVs.

    ¡°Huh,¡± he says.

    Lili is giggling now and Mesprit is twitching in my lap just barely holding on.

    ¡°What?¡± Lucas turns to us and we burst out laughing. Mesprit falls off my lap and rolls through the air, somehow managing to levitate. Lili and I barely manage to hold each other up.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± I managed to wheeze out ¡°Your face was just¡­ haah¡­ Great!¡±

    Lili chirps and holds up a leaf-arm before breaking out into giggles once more.

    ¡°I¡¯m confused¡­¡± he says ¡°You worked with the first Professor of Sinnoh?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I manage between fits of giggling.

    ¡°And my great grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°And his wife?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± It¡¯s my time to be stumped ¡°They got married?¡±

    ¡°Yes. So you¡¯re just trying to put me on?¡±

    ¡°No, tell me! When did those two get married? They were always fighting!¡±

    Lili is chirping along demanding an explanation as well. She¡¯s way too happy about this.

    ¡°What? Dad told me they were super close all the time. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Did¡­ no. I¡¯m sure they would¡¯ve told me¡­ What happened? Oh, no. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ How did I never notice?¡±

    Lili chirps at me, trying not to giggle.

    ¡°You knew?¡±

    She nods. I drag her into a chokehold and rub her head with my fist.

    ¡°You! Trying to hide important things from me again? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    Lili chirps between giggles before Mes frees her with a short-ranged Teleport making me stumble.

    ¡°You¡¯re blind, Zoe!¡± Mesprit giggles.

    ¡°Bah! Everyone¡¯s against me. I see how it is!¡±

    I put my hands on my hips with a vicious grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to put you through the wringer again, don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Lucas pipes up from behind me ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Mesprit looks at him and speaks into our minds.

    ¡°Zoe is a kid!¡± she squeals.

    I blow a raspberry in response before jumping to catch her. It takes three attempts before Mes doesn¡¯t Teleport away and allows me to get my arms around her. I make sure to cuddle her as aggressively as I can so she knows how angry I am with her!

    ¡°I give up¡­,¡± Lucas sighs.

    I give him a glance.

    ¡°The short story is I got thrown back in time to save Hisui. And then thrown back to the future again. It was¡­ a bit of a mess.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d tell you the whole thing but I¡¯m sure Professor Rowan will want to hear it too. Don¡¯t feel like talking about it too often.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Does he have Laventon¡¯s Pok¨¦dex?¡±

    ¡°I see. What?¡±

    He turns to me when he realizes I asked a question. I just tilt my head.

    ¡°You alright?¡±

    Lucas groans.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be fine. Now that I think of it¡­ Grandma sometimes talked about the stories her mother told her. Something about a mystery trainer that saved the region¡­ Then again, she was always a bit crazy. What with her going on about those Clans or whatever.¡±

    I narrow my eyes.

    ¡°What happened to the Clans?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know if they¡¯re even real.¡±

    ¡°They are! Or were, it looks like.¡±

    ¡°Right. Grandma said something about a fight. She didn¡¯t know the details since she grew up in Sandgem but she said something big went down near Celestic Town. But the villagers never knew anything so it¡¯s been deemed unreliable information.¡±

    I sigh.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll figure out what happened. But the Diamond and Pearl Clans lived here before Jubilife was founded.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m not that interested in history, to be honest¡­ What are you doing at the Lab today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting some information checked. And Cynthia was talking about a fight. Maybe we¡¯ll have time for that?¡±

    He carefully looks Lili over. My muscle-brained friend flexes her leaves while chirping proudly.

    ¡°I see,¡± he says.

    I smile and sit down again. We spend the remaining wait with mindless small talk, mostly just watching the TV.

    Eventually, Cynthia joins us. She is followed by the Alakazam that made the barriers for our battle two days ago. I give him a greeting with my mind which he returns without looking at me. He¡¯s quite the relaxed Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Good morning you two,¡± Cynthia says ¡°All ready to get going?¡±

    I look at Mes in my arms.

    ¡°Yup. We¡¯re good.¡±

    Lucas sighs but manages a nod.

    ¡°Alright, then. Alakazam, if you would?¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon starts to gather some Psychic Type Energy into the beginnings of a Teleport which Mesprit immediately latches on. She only adds some of her own to ease the burden a little and before I can blink we¡¯re no longer in the Gym.

    ¡°Wow, that was quick,¡± Lucas says.

    ¡°And very smooth,¡± Cynthia nods ¡°You got better, Alakazam.¡±

    He just shakes his head and points at us.

    ¡°Or Mesprit did your job. Did you at least pay attention?¡±

    He looks slightly offended before waving her off and disappearing with a pop.

    I look around. We¡¯re standing in what looks like an empty room. A circular pad of sorts is in the centre which we¡¯re standing on. One door leads out in front of us. I can feel a tiny bit of Psychic TE in the ground. Now that I know what to look for, there are more spots of Energy around us. They feel a little different and I quickly realize that this room is sending what amounts to an ¡®occupied¡¯ signal. Anyone Teleporting here would be warned that the landing area is full. All the other rooms currently have no more than targeting beacons.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± Cynthia says ¡°Let¡¯s get to it.¡±

    We follow her out into a hallway and down past half a dozen doors before reaching a staircase leading up. At the end of it is another hallway that leads into the lobby of a Pok¨¦mon Centre, judging from the counter with a few Nurse Joys standing behind it and the occasional Chansey running around. Lili points at the fancy tech all around us as I drag her along.

    Once we¡¯re out of the Centre, I feel a little bit lost. The buildings look very out of place around the plaza. Which I recognize because I¡¯ve been here a ton when researching some of the Water Types on the beach further south. Which is also in view down the wide main road right in front of us. The land is familiar but everything else is just¡­ off.

    Mes struggles in my arms for a bit, somehow managing to turn around to look at the town. It¡¯s easy to see how much smaller it is with the largest buildings having two storeys. The only exception being the Pok¨¦mon Centre right behind us and a steel-and-glass complex a little down the road to our right almost at the end of town. I figure that¡¯s the Lab when I spot Cynthia and Lucas already a few steps down that direction. With a shake of my head, I follow them.

    As we enter the building we¡¯re welcomed by a Lab Assistant in a white lab coat over jeans and a T-shirt. He introduces himself as Researcher Johan and leads us deeper into the Lab. After a few hallways and a staircase up, we enter a room that¡¯s mostly white and silver with the tiled floor and a bunch of machines standing along the sides. A few young Pok¨¦mon, all of them Piplup, Chimchar, or Turtwig, are being looked over by Lab Assistants and two Chansey.

    A man with a very familiar moustache turns at our arrival. I have the third flashback of the morning but at least I expected this one. After all, I immediately made the connection between the Pok¨¦mon Professor Rowan of Sinnoh and Commander Kamado of the Galaxy Exploration Team when I got thrown back in time. The two look exactly the same only that Professor Rowan¡¯s hair and beard are stark white and Kamado¡¯s are¡­ were black. The Professor¡¯s thick moustache is curved a little softer on his expression even if it¡¯s still a stern look. Commander Kamado was more severe than stern. I very rarely saw a gentle expression on his face.

    ¡°Welcome, everyone. Lucas, Champion. And you must be the young Zoe? Is that Mesprit in your arms?¡±

    The bundle wiggles with a squeak and frees a hand to give him a wave. Professor Rowan¡¯s eyes fall onto Lili. In fact, almost everyone is staring at her, now that I look around.

    ¡°This is¡­ A Liligant as Professor Laventon described it. I did not expect to ever see one. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±

    He bows slightly to which Lili chirps and twirls. Then he turns to me.

    ¡°Say, how did you evolve her? We have been looking into Laventon¡¯s notes but couldn¡¯t find anything that would let a Petilil evolve into this form.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Good morning to you too,¡± I smirk at his slight flinch ¡°But honestly, I don¡¯t know any special requirements. Back then Petilil just evolved into this with a Sunstone.¡±

    ¡°So there must be some other requirement, then.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably just a regional form. Aren¡¯t there wild Petilil in Sinnoh, somewhere? How do they usually evolve?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have any native populations,¡± Researcher Johan says ¡°At least as far as I¡¯m aware of.¡±

    Lili freezes. She turns to me with a chirp.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll take a look,¡± I reassure her before turning back to Professor Rowan ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just difficult to find? They lived mostly in the Mirelands, hidden in the reeds of the swamp or fields of wild wheat.¡±

    The Professor sighs.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any in the explored areas. To be fair, we didn¡¯t look too deeply. The area around Lake Valor is mostly off-limits for research. Even more so after what happened with Team Galaxy. Only the Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Champion are allowed to move there without permission. But enough of that. You¡¯re here for a reason. Get back to work, everyone!¡±

    I grin at the grumbling of the researchers. Lili has calmed down a little but I still give her a hug before following the Professor to a room two doors down the hallway.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Professor Laventon take a ton of photos for his Pok¨¦dex?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Not that I know of. He might have taken them with him when he left Sinnoh. Photographs were expensive back then.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything in the book,¡± Lucas adds ¡°They¡¯re not in the best condition, to be fair.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Cynthia nods.

    ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice to have some better references than hearsay and partial text.¡±

    We enter the room which is a small medical lab. Some equipment is laid out on a table and an adjustable chair with a freely movable lamp attached to it stands in the centre.

    ¡°Please take a seat, Zoe. I¡¯ll take a blood sample and run some basic tests.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lucas asks.

    The Professor looks between us and I shrug.

    ¡°We¡¯re testing my DNA for Pok¨¦mon traces. Right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ yes. Let¡¯s go with that.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Lucas is confused again. I grin and shoot a singular Razor Leaf at Lili who catches it between her hands. That only manages to completely stop his thought process and I turn back to the Professor.

    ¡°That is very interesting. You have a lot of control. Now, let¡¯s get to it.¡±

    I nod and sit down. Cynthia takes Lucas to a corner of the room and starts quietly talking to him while Mes and Lili carefully watch the procedure. The Professor begins by taking a sample of my blood which he immediately puts into some kind of machine. Then he takes out a bunch of tools and puts the chair into a more horizontal position.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be testing your resilience, now. Trainers get stronger the more powerful their Pok¨¦mon are. We believe it has something to do with training and battling together but the exact interactions are still a mystery. I want to see how tough you are.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s gonna be interesting,¡± I say ¡°Since I¡¯m a lot weaker after coming back.¡±

    ¡°Right. Hold out your arm. This might hurt a little.¡±

    I nod and do as he asked. He takes a small knife and carefully puts it on my skin without putting any pressure on it. The steel is a little cold but other than that nothing happens. I¡¯m a little confused when he puts it away only to pick up a hammer. He turns my arm so he can access the bone right next to my wrist where it¡¯s directly underneath the skin. Then he starts tapping right on top of the bone.

    ¡°Tell me when it hurts.¡±

    At first, I feel nothing. He¡¯s way too careful. It takes half a dozen taps before I even register the pressure. Another five before it starts to sting a little. After a total of almost twenty, I stop him.

    ¡°That hurt a little.¡±

    ¡°A little? Like a soft stinging?¡±

    ¡°No, actual pain. Like when you punch rocks.¡±

    ¡°I see. That was much higher than average. Even top trainers will feel pain before the tenth hit, normally.¡±

    ¡°How is it scientific if you¡¯re using your hand to swing the hammer?¡± I ask.

    ¡°A trainer¡¯s resilience seems to respond to an intention to hurt. If we had a machine do this, you would be no different from someone that never met a Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Huh. That¡¯s stupid.¡±

    The Professor¡¯s moustache twitched.

    ¡°It¡¯s empirically proven fact.¡±

    ¡°No, I believe you. But I don¡¯t think you have the reason right. Everyone has stamina they can use to protect their body. Most people just can¡¯t control it. Ever had someone survive a fall they shouldn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Stamina?¡±

    ¡°You know¡­ the energy in your soul? The stuff that Pok¨¦mon naturally turn into Type Energy so they can use moves¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Aura?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Is that what you call it? I know Lucario can teach humans how to utilize it, though they can¡¯t teach you how to do Moves.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Aura, yes. But I have never heard it connected to the high resilience of Pok¨¦mon trainers, let alone how Pok¨¦mon use moves. The Aura Guardians keep their secrets close to heart.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Well, I learned how to turn it into Type Energy and I always run it through my body. Constant cycling is the best way to practice.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s continue,¡± Professor Rowan says with a shake of his head ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something to discuss here and now even if it will probably turn most current research upside down.¡±

    I shrug as he reaches for the next tool. This one is a ball of sorts. It¡¯s grey and made from a strong material that still has a little give.

    ¡°Please try to compress this ball as far as you can.¡±

    I nod and grip it with both hands. It sits firmly in my hands. I try to squeeze with just my fingers at first and find it getting a little harder as I put more force into it. I take a short moment to shake out my hands before using my full strength. This time, I press with my palms. The ball compresses about half the total distance before it gets too hard. I take a deep breath and give one final push. There¡¯s a crack and everyone looks over as I open my hands only to find a pile of glittering grey dust.

    Professor Rowan looks like he¡¯s trying to find his words as Lili and Mes give me enthusiastic applause. I stand up and bow.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you! I¡¯ll be here all day long!¡±

    Lili steps closer to examine the dust. She chirps a question but I don¡¯t know the answer.

    ¡°What¡¯s this made of, anyway?¡± I forward it.

    ¡°How?¡± the Professor finally manages ¡°I mean¡­ This is a testing material for our Lab Starters. They need to be able to compress it by 25% before they are ready to be given to a Trainer. You¡¯re stronger than them. By a lot.¡±

    ¡°Professor, I spar with my Pok¨¦mon. Not just with moves, also hand-to-hand. And Lili is a Fighting Type.¡±

    He looks between us. Lili gives me a side hug and I grin at her. He turns around with a sigh.

    ¡°Well, that means all the other stuff doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Let¡¯s see what your blood test tells us.¡±

    I end up dropping the dust into a bin while the Professor looks over his computer screen. Lucas seems to have rebooted and joins him while Cynthia stands next to Lili and me.

    ¡°I told him your story, mostly,¡± she says ¡°I hope that¡¯s okay?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Mesprit trusts him. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    She smiles.

    ¡°So how about another battle?¡±

    ¡°You mean a fight, right?¡± I grin.

    ¡°What rules were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°3v3 until knockout. I¡¯m gonna assist Lili and Lulu, you send out three of your Pok¨¦mon to fight us. No commands from outside the battle. If you want to talk strategy, do it before or replace one of your Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you got a lot weaker?¡±

    ¡°I did. Which is why we add a five-minute timer. That¡¯s my limit right now.¡±

    ¡°I can agree to that. How much did¡­ your Garchomp hold back when he hit you?¡±

    ¡°A lot. That was just playing around. He could¡¯ve gotten me in a single hit and killed me with the second, if not the third.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell my team to hold back when hitting you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll give you some of my Potions and Revives in case I get knocked out.¡±

    Mes chirps.

    ¡°I¡¯ll fix you!¡± she says into our minds.

    ¡°Or that, I guess,¡± I roll my eyes.

    Professor Rowan finally turns away from the screen.

    ¡°Nothing special, here,¡± he says ¡°In fact, your DNA is still identical to what it was when you did your first journey.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± I ask.

    ¡°We have that data from an injury you sustained in Eterna Forest. They were looking for organ donors in case the treatment didn¡¯t catch, I believe.¡±

    ¡°I helped!¡± Mes chirps into all of our minds this time.

    ¡°You did?¡±

    She twirls in front of me.

    ¡°Needed you strong!¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I grin and grab her in a hug before turning to Cynthia.

    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s have that fight!¡±

    She grins.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my team a little. Figure out what you need for the PSIL-ID with Rowan.¡±

    She leaves and I get to go through some forms with the help of the Professor. Lucas also left to let his Pok¨¦mon meet Cynthia¡¯s again. Apparently, their teams are good friends.

    It turns out I don¡¯t need to do much for the PSIL-ID. It¡¯s going to be a simple card I can show any Ranger or Officer Jenny to let them know I¡¯m authorized to use Moves in public. The only problem is that it¡¯s not intended to be given to a human so when the time comes, I¡¯ll get to be a Pok¨¦mon of the ¡®human¡¯ species with the Typing ¡®yes¡¯. Or that¡¯s what I would¡¯ve liked. There¡¯s some Pok¨¦mon in Alola that has variable Typing and has an ID so we just take what they used and have the box filled in as ¡®variable¡¯.

    After that, Professor Rowan leads me onto the Lab pastures behind the building which are¡­ expansive. They are even larger than the ones in Jubilife Village had been. There are patches of forest and a few rivers here and there between grassy hills. A pond is close to the Lab and a little off to the side is the entrance to some kind of cave. Artificial, as the Professor tells me. Pok¨¦mon are everywhere, though a decently large group has found a nearby hill to watch what we¡¯re up to.

    Cynthia is standing a little ways off with three of her Pok¨¦mon out and about. Ryu, her Garchomp, the Togekiss she used in our last battle as well as a Lucario. The latter stiffens as he spots me before bowing respectfully with his paws clasped. I return the gesture with a smile on my face. Then he spots Lili and I laugh at his panicked expression.

    Lucas is sitting off to the side on the back of a decently large Torterra. Not Alpha size but on the higher end for a normal one. A Clefable is resting against the tree on its back. As usual, it¡¯s impossible to clearly tell the gender of those two Pok¨¦mon. Torterra is probably male and Clefable probably female but that¡¯s just an assumption based on the common distribution. Lucas doesn¡¯t have any of his other Pok¨¦mon out.

    Mesprit immediately zips off to slam into Clefable with a hug. The two begin chirping at each other and I leave them to it. I let out Gligar and tell him to stick with Mes before pulling out Lulu¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball. She roars with all her might as she pops out making everyone but me and Lili flinch. Even Mes ends up complaining at the noise.

    I grin and step up next to her.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got us another fight, Lulu. You up for it?¡±

    She snorts and glares at Ryu. Getting taken out like that the last time must have made her Rivalry even worse. I scratch her behind the ear to calm her down a little.

    ¡°You guys ready?¡± I call over and Cynthia nods.

    ¡°Whenever you are.¡±

    Ryu stands up front with Lucario a little behind and to the side. Togekiss is floating above them. On our side, Lulu is already growling at Ryu while Lili is casually stretching to my left. I meet both of my Pok¨¦mon¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Ball up,¡± I say before nodding at Cynthia.

    ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡±

    She then gives her Pok¨¦mon a look before joining Lucas and his Torterra. Professor Rowan made his way there as well and Mesprit and Clefable are working together to hold up a barrier.

    ¡°We¡¯re here for a 3v3 knockout match between the combatants on the field,¡± Cynthia begins ¡°No switching, no commands from outside the arena. When a combatant is knocked out, any hits against them are an immediate loss for the attacking team. Both sides are ready to begin?¡±

    Everyone on the field nods. I glance between our three opponents and quickly run my TE into a mix of Psychic and Fairy. It¡¯s great to finally have access to two types. Just have to avoid double weaknesses¡­

    ¡°Start!¡± Cynthia calls and everyone explodes into motion. Lulu rushes forward with a Discharge already building in front of her while Lili is channelling a Victory Dance. My Reflect covers all of us just in time for Ryu¡¯s Earthquake. Lucario has jumped up on the dragon¡¯s back to avoid getting hit while Togekiss is falling back and powering up with Electric TE. I already feel the Baby-Doll-Eyes affecting me.

    Lulu dodges Ryu¡¯s Earthquake with a Volt Switch towards the ground that makes her fly up. Togekiss panics and lets loose an ineffective Thunder Wave as he tries to distance himself from the suddenly flying lioness. I jump as well while Lili dances on the shifting ground to get more power running through her body. The little bit of damage won¡¯t be an issue for her.

    Lulu knows she won¡¯t be able to reach Togekiss so she pulls off a Sunny Day as she drops behind their team. I make use of her distraction to get a Light Screen off as well before channelling some Ghost TE to replace the dissipating Psychic TE.

    As Lulu lands, Lucario jumps off Ryu¡¯s back with a Bullet Punch right to her face. Togekiss is sweeping around to try and get Lili with an Air Slash but she¡¯s long gone letting it come right at me instead. I give the flying fairy a wink before sinking into my Shadow Sneak and appearing behind Lulu only to blast a quick Shadow Ball at Lucario. Ryu is too slow to react to Lili¡¯s Drain Punch and smacks face-first into the grass. Before any of them can figure out what just happened, we¡¯re back in formation facing a sole Lucario. He flinches as a Low Kick from Lili and a Thunderbolt from Lulu meet him head-on. First knockout confirmed.

    Ryu jumps back up and barrels right towards us with what can only be an Outrage. I feel my stamina starting to run low but I still have my Fairy TE up and ready so I meet her head-on. The Move uselessly dissipates on my skin even though her strikes still push me back. I make sure to deflect and dodge as much as I can. Not for long, though, as Lili runs into her from the side with an Ice Spinner.

    I leave them to it and take a look at Lulu who is trying to land one of her Electric attacks on a slightly panicking Togekiss. Another Shadow Sneak brings me into the air right in his blind spot and I smack his back. Sadly, it barely does anything and I¡¯m blasted point-blank by a Hurricane. And a Thunder that¡¯s using the Hurricane to try and get to Togekiss. I only barely keep my consciousness as I¡¯m thrown into the air.

    A bit of Electric TE gives me just enough time for a Magnet Rise to slow down my fall. When I look around, I see that the fight is already over. Ryu is on the ground, knocked out, and Lulu is pinning Togekiss with one of her paws, sparks flying whenever he tries to move. Eventually, he gives up with a cry. Maybe because Lili is now looking directly into his eyes.

    I stretch my arms and feel my muscles pull. Turns out my shirt is only barely holding together and I¡¯m bleeding in a few places. That Hurricane did a number on me. As I make to dig out a potion, Lucas calls out.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡±

    I look over and give him a wave as he drops back on his Torterra.

    ¡°Looks like we won.¡±

    Cynthia shakes her head before running up to her team. Lucario is already sitting up again but he looks a little dizzy. They start talking quietly as Professor Rowan follows a Chansey from the group of onlookers. The pink blob is immediately fussing over me by the time she closes the distance. I chuckle at her scolding tone and give her a Super Potion from my bag which she sniffs before happily spreading it all over my wounds. I make sure to keep some more TE active so it¡¯s more effective.

    ¡°That was very impressive,¡± the Professor says ¡°Your teamwork in particular. But even just seeing the quality of Moves you can use and take is¡­ very intriguing. How does it work?¡±

    I shake my head.

    ¡°That¡¯s a little complicated. I mean, any human has some stamina, or aura, I guess. But you need a lot of practice to turn it into Type Energy and even then you¡¯ll have terrible efficiency. I can only get this much out of it thanks to a gift from Arceus.¡±

    Chansey freezes in her administrations. Then she starts speaking rapidly.

    ¡°Chansey, Chan! Chansey, sey sey! Chan!¡±

    I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Yes, I know. Thank you for worrying. I¡¯ll get a lot more out of it with some training. It¡¯ll probably take a few years to get back to full strength, though.¡±

    ¡°Chan! Sey!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will be careful. I have my team to help me out.¡±

    My statement is punctuated by Gligar slamming into my side with a happy cry. That only earns him a round of scolding from Chansey. My little flying scorpion is trying to hide from her behind me but she¡¯s not that easy to shake off.

    ¡°Well, I can safely say that you¡¯re a special case, then,¡± the Professor says ¡°At least that¡¯ll keep the League officials off my back. You might get swamped with requests to meet, though, once things are in the open.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the warning. I¡¯ll keep to using it only when necessary. Mostly¡­¡±

    He raises an eyebrow.

    ¡°Mostly?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes I use Moves instinctively. Just got used to it, I guess¡­¡±

    He laughs.

    ¡°Then you will have to live with the Mandibuzz trying to get their claws into you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it when the time comes.¡±

    Chansey is finally satisfied with my condition and gives me a wet towel from somewhere to wipe the blood off. Then she zips off to the other injured, namely Ryu and Lucario. Lili took a few hits but she already took care of herself with a Synthesis and Lulu and Togekiss aren¡¯t really all that hurt. It¡¯s mostly just scratches and the paralysis from Lulu¡¯s Electric Moves.

    Cynthia leaves her Pok¨¦mon in the pink blob¡¯s care and joins us together with Lucas who finally got up.

    ¡°That was¡­ enlightening,¡± she says ¡°You ran us around so easily.¡±

    I smile.

    ¡°Your Pok¨¦mon really rely on you to catch their opponent¡¯s movement, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it. I¡¯ll have to let them be more self-sufficient.¡±

    ¡°You took a point-blank Hurricane,¡± Lucas shakes his head ¡°How are you still standing?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t too bad. I think Cynthia¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were holding back a little too much. They were probably scared of hurting me too badly. Other than that Outrage from Ryu, at least.¡±

    ¡°That was an impressive defence. But even holding back, they never really got a good chance to work together. Your strategy was just too good.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s our standard ¡®protect me¡¯ plan. I¡¯m in the centre using supportive moves and opening up opportunities. But we need to keep moving or Lili is a sitting duck. Her greatest strength is her speed, after all. Then again, I¡¯ve never seen a Pok¨¦mon hold a move ready to be unleashed in case of surprises while using other moves. So compliments to your Togekiss. I didn¡¯t expect that.¡±

    Togekiss floats over with Lulu next to him. He apparently heard me and makes happy noises to thank me. I rub his head and give him some Potion for the scratches.

    ¡°So, wanna go again?¡± I ask.

    Chansey hits me on the head.

    ¡°Ouch! Where did you come from?¡±

    ¡°Chansey!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay! It was just an idea¡­¡±

    Everyone laughs.

 010 Reveal

    After all the excitement, we leave our Pok¨¦mon to play around a little bit with the ones sheltered by the Lab while Professor Rowan ends up dragging me and Lucas into a small meeting room in the building. He wants to hear a little more about my story. Cynthia already gave him a basic explanation but he has some questions regarding Professor Laventon¡¯s notes and the Pok¨¦mon forms they can no longer find. I give them a slightly cut retelling of what my parents and Cynthia already heard, mostly for Lucas¡¯ benefit, before the questions begin.

    ¡°That sounds like quite the adventure,¡± the Professor says ¡°How many Pok¨¦mon forms are you aware of that no longer exist in the present?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hard to tell,¡± I say ¡°While I know a lot about all the Pok¨¦mon that lived in the Hisui-Sinnoh years, I don¡¯t know much about the current¡­ situation.¡±

    ¡°Then let me make a list. We have your Liligant, as well as confirmation that she evolved from a normal Petilil. Right?¡±

    He pulls up an image on his laptop showing one of the small Grass Types. Petilil are so cute!

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the one I know.¡±

    ¡°Okay. The notes and the parts of Laventon¡¯s Pok¨¦dex that are still readable talk about a few others. Help me out if I miss anything, Lucas.¡±

    The boy nods.

    ¡°There¡¯s mention of a large canine with Fire and Rock Dual-Typing. We have descriptions of Braviary with more apparent Psychic abilities than make sense. A strange fish Pok¨¦mon, no Typing for that one but the description makes me think Ghost. What else?¡±

    ¡°The Voltorb and Electrode descriptions sounded a bit off in their appearance,¡± Lucas says ¡°There are also two legends that survived. The Sea¡¯s Legend, a book Dawn found in Canalave Library, mentions a Qwilfish with huge spikes. And we have the stories from Snowpoint about White Ghosts filled with incredible hatred. Though I doubt that¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon. Probably just an old explanation for avalanches or blizzards.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you. I think that¡¯s everything we have.¡±

    I grin.

    ¡°Well, they all sound familiar. I have my own Field Pok¨¦dex with all my notes. I can¡¯t give it to you right now since there¡¯s some information you aren¡¯t supposed to know. Orders from the Boss.¡±

    ¡°The Boss?¡± Lucas asks.

    ¡°Arceus. But I can just tell you about the ones you asked about. And if you have a current Pok¨¦dex for me, I can look through it for more differences.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s something I plan to do,¡± the Professor says ¡°as long as the information you give us now ends up helping out.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see¡­ The Fire-and-Rock Dual-Type would be the Noble Arcanine. Their Growlithe as well. They lived in the mountains next to the Coastlands, and on Firespit Island.¡±

    ¡°Arcanine? Truly?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I already told Cynthia about that. The fragment she found from the Temple of Sinnoh was a part of the Noble¡¯s statue.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    He takes some notes but without bothering the laptop. Lucas sighs and pulls it over.

    ¡°They don¡¯t look any like these, do they?¡±

    The picture is what can only be a ¡®normal¡¯ Arcanine with a white mane and a white tail whereas the one I knew had rocky-grey ones.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°How would a Fire-Rock Type survive the Coastlands? I assume that¡¯s the Eastern Coast.¡±

    ¡°Firespit Island would be where the League is, now,¡± the Professor says.

    ¡°Really? It was an active volcano. They built the League there?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that island with the Battle Area. What was that called?¡± Lucas says.

    ¡°Ah, that might be it. Zoe, did Heatran live in the volcano?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the place. As for the Arcanine, it was the only place with Firestones available. It¡¯s also where you could find the occasional Vulpix and Ninetales in the wild.¡±

    ¡°I see. How did they cross the sea?¡±

    ¡°I believe the Pearl Clan moved them back and forth. At least the Vulpix and Growlithe.¡±

    They look at each other wide-eyed.

    ¡°The Pearl Clan? It¡¯s real?¡± Lucas asks.

    ¡°Yeah. No idea what happened but from the location¡­ their village probably turned into Snowpoint. While Solaceon Town is close to where the Diamond Clan¡¯s village was.¡±

    The Professor starts taking even more notes. I decided to simply move on.

    ¡°Next¡­ Braviary is Psychic-Flying. Also a Noble. Would fit with your description.¡±

    Professor Rowan starts scribbling even more furiously as Lucas pulls up another picture. I almost laugh at the red feathers covering the top of the huge bird¡¯s body.

    ¡°No, no. That wouldn¡¯t work at all. The ones I know have white feathers where this one has red ones. Makes for far better hiding in the snow of the Icelands. They also have eye-like feathers in pink and cyan just above their real eyes.¡±

    ¡°Ones? Not one? Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s a Noble?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Rufflet has an easy time evolving naturally so there were a few more around, usually.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Lucas pulls up a picture of the smaller eagle.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s just as I know it. So you know about the Nobles?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a legend about the Hero of Sinnoh. No idea how much of it is true, though.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help you with that. Arceus never talked about it no matter how much I asked.¡±

    Before they can ask more questions about that I move on.

    ¡°Then¡­ the strange fish is probably Basculegion. Another Noble. Evolution of Basculin. Not pretty to get to. They have to take a lot of injuries while fighting but only self-inflicted. Recoil Moves. It¡¯s Water-Ghost Type. They come in different colours depending on gender.¡±

    ¡°Which Basculin?¡± the Professor asks ¡°Blue-striped or red-striped?¡±

    ¡°There are different ones? I¡¯ve never seen blue or red stripes on them. Only white.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ would be a new variant as far as I know.¡±

    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Lucas nods ¡°That¡¯s a lot of information and it checks out with some of our ideas. Laventon really was capable.¡±

    Professor Rowan looks over something on the laptop Lucas turned to him. They exchange a few words in a whisper and I make sure not to listen in. Then he turns to me.

    ¡°We could sign you up as a Lab Trainer for the next Circuit. Especially if you can give us access to your Field Pok¨¦dex. After that, you can become an official Researcher, or a Field Researcher like Lucas here, if you prefer that.¡±

    I freeze. Then a grin slowly spreads wide on my face. I can¡¯t stop it in the slightest.

    ¡°That sounds great,¡± I say.

    ¡°First, do you have anything else on the old forms?¡±

    I tap my chin.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just call them Hisui-Forms? Like the Alola- Forms. Vulpix, for example.¡±

    ¡°That works. How do you know about Alola-Vulpix, though?¡±

    ¡°There was a guy who brought a few with him. They really enjoyed the Icelands.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine that,¡± Lucas says ¡°But I haven¡¯t seen any in Sinnoh.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where they went. I had one for a bit before she wanted to live on her own. Anyway, we were talking about Hisui-Forms. What was strange about the Voltorb and Electrode in Professor Laventon¡¯s notes?¡±

    ¡°Well, look at these.¡±

    Lucas shows me an image of a much smoother and cleaner-looking version of the Pok¨¦mon I know. There is something that bugs me about it.

    ¡°Are they only Electric Type, now?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I sigh.

    ¡°They were Electric Grass, back then. Similar to the handmade Pok¨¦balls, in fact. Here.¡±

    I show them Lili¡¯s Ball which has a wooden shell on the bottom with the lines still visible. The top is an Apricorn shell covered in Red Tumblestone. The wood just holds it together, the actual function is all in the top half.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite interesting,¡± Professor Rowan says ¡°Were they also using Self-Destruct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Explosion, too. You have to be careful when running into them in the wild. The Stun Spores they release make you an easy target.¡±

    They look at each other with a mix of apprehension and interest.

    ¡°That does seem very dangerous, not that Voltorb have much of a need to slow you down.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°As for those legends you talked about¡­ Qwilfish evolves into Overqwil, which would fit the huge spikes. It¡¯s Dark Poison, very dangerous since it can shoot those spikes. And the Ghosts filled with hatred would be Zoroark. They didn¡¯t make it in Hisui, though I never learned the reason. But their Ghosts stuck around. Zorua, too. Ghost-Normal Typing.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± the Professor stares.

    ¡°That¡¯s a weird combination,¡± Lucas says ¡°Do they still do the illusion stuff?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Though I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they aren¡¯t around anymore. I helped everyone I could find to settle their grudges. Don¡¯t know if any decided to stay despite no longer being bound to their existence.¡±

    ¡°That was very kind of you,¡± the Professor says ¡°Then¡­ there¡¯s one more thing.¡±

    He turns around the laptop. On it is what is obviously a Sliggoo. A Hisui-Sligoo if they¡¯re showing it to me.

    ¡°What¡¯s so special about this one?¡± I ask with a smirk.

    The Professor laughs.

    ¡°Oh, you know¡­ a species of Pok¨¦mon that only exists in Kalos suddenly appears in the depths of the Coronet Mountains but with a different second and third stage. Though we only confirmed the third stage once from a distance. I believe two of the Sinnoh-Goomy were caught and one of them has evolved. The first one was spotted three weeks ago.¡±

    My mood plummets.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t here three weeks ago¡­ This has to be¡­¡±

    With a pop, Mesprit lands on my head and snuggles into my hair. I drag her into my lap and give her a squeeze.

    ¡°Thanks, Mes,¡± I whisper ¡°Say¡­ did you meet Goopy recently?¡±

    She shakes her head.

    ¡°Did either of your siblings?¡±

    This time she hesitates. Then there¡¯s a nod. I let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°So he¡¯s still around?¡±

    She wiggles happily and I feel her connect to our minds.

    ¡°Yes! He was hiding! Uxie told him when it was time.¡±

    I pat her head. My big goof is still alive. Just as I expected. I hope he¡¯s doing well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need you to give me the location these were first spotted,¡± I tell the Professor.

    He observes me for a full minute before answering.

    ¡°Alright. I believe we can safely say these are Hisui-Goomy, not Sinnoh-Goomy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    Lucas starts typing again.

    ¡°Do you have anything else for us?¡± the Professor asks.

    ¡°Yes, in fact. The Professor brought three Pok¨¦mon from other regions with him that had a notable difference in their third stage. Cyndaquil, Oshawott, and Rowlet. From what we learned, they evolved due to differences in climate. And most of the people that immigrated to Sinnoh told us the Nobles were all Pok¨¦mon they¡¯d never seen before. I¡¯ll get you a list of those and their pre-evolutions so you can compare it to your database.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very interesting. I am really interested to take a closer look at your own research notes. Thank you for your help, Zoe. I learned a lot today. And we have a lot to think about, I believe. I¡¯ll send you your PSIL-ID together with the paperwork for becoming an official Lab Trainer. I wish you the best on your Journey, even if it¡¯s your second attempt.¡±

    I give him a smile.

    ¡°Thank you for listening to my crazy story.¡±

    Lucas snickers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯d have believed a word if the Red Night didn¡¯t happen. Now that we know who Palkia and Dialga are, what you claim is at least possible.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to find the lazy loaves and give them my thanks as well.¡±

    They stare at me for a second before Lucas shakes his head. I say my goodbyes and go back outside to collect my Pok¨¦mon and return home.

    <hr>

    Mesprit is floating still right in front of my face. Her yellow eyes bore into mine. I can¡¯t tell what she¡¯s trying to tell me and her mind is too far away for me to reach. Which is weird because she¡¯s right there. Right here.

    I look around but Mes keeps blocking my sight. Is she looking for something? If so, what would that be?

    I blink and her face swaps from pink and teal to black and gold. The yellow eyes are suddenly an intensely glowing red.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I manage, then Giratina taps their forehead to mine. I hear their rumbling voice shake the space around us. There¡¯s nothing really here, though. My arms and legs move around without touching anything.

    Giratina pulls their face back and reveals nothing but darkness. They are in their Origin Forme so we have to be in the Distortion World. Sort of. Their mind finally makes contact. It feels so far away, like coming from another reality. I don¡¯t know how I know that feeling but that¡¯s what comes to mind.

    ¡°Welcome back, Zoe,¡± Giratina says. Their thoughts are vast and gentle, like a calm ocean.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say ¡°Is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A dream. The Lake Trio assisted me with forming this connection.¡±

    ¡°Huh. So I¡¯m sleeping right now? Like that time with Dusknoir?¡±

    They laugh.

    ¡°Just like that and yet very different. I am not in your world, after all.¡±

    ¡°Then the time doesn¡¯t really matter, does it?¡±

    ¡°You are right but that is not how Dialga operates. I wanted to thank you.¡±

    I smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. What for, though?¡±

    ¡°You taught me why your world matters. My cousins are still having difficulty comprehending the fact, sadly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I heard about that. You helped Cynthia save the world from another idiot.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I wish I could travel with you but I have my duties. I left a gift on your bedside table that will let me partake, at least. It should be familiar to you though I have repurposed it a little.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nice, thanks. I¡¯ll come visit you again, sometime.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    Giratina lifts their wings and the darkness around me recedes. I find myself opening eyes that should be open and a sense of vertigo washes over me. Then, the three Lake Spirits connect their minds to me and push away the unpleasant feeling. I look around and find them floating in my room, just to the side of my bed. It¡¯s a little before dawn judging by the already greying sky.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    I let out a long yawn and fall back onto my bed. Why was I sitting up, again? Doesn¡¯t matter. I turn onto my side and cuddle the blanket all the way around my legs like a cocoon. I meet the eyes of the Lake Trio and smile.

    ¡°Good morning, guys.¡±

    Mes chirps a greeting and twirls, Azelf waves, and Uxie nods.

    ¡°You are safe,¡± Uxie says ¡°Good. I feared this connection would too much pressure on your soul at this time.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for worrying.¡±

    ¡°I did not worry. I feared. Had it not worked¡­¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Azelf interrupts him ¡°Zoe would¡¯ve pushed through.¡±

    Uxie looks at him for a moment before shaking his head.

    ¡°You are too impulsive, sometimes. We did not know.¡±

    ¡°I was sure she¡¯s ready,¡± Mes grins and bops my head ¡°Look how strong she stayed. Much more than you knew would happen. A little less than I felt might happen.¡±

    Uxie sighs. It¡¯s a really cute sound with his high-pitched voice.

    ¡°Right. Zoe. You know about the Reveal Glass. Giratina has borrowed it from the Abundant Shrine. It is a mirror they can use to see even from within your satchel.¡±

    ¡°That makes a lot of sense.¡±

    I snake one arm out of my blanket-roll and grab the item from my bedside table. It¡¯s a hand mirror with a silver frame that looks like swirling winds. Inlays in green, blue, and orange gems are set around the top half and the handle is made from a pink-red stone. When I look into it, I can see the red eyes of Giratina framed by darkness. The golden rim around their forehead shines a little but that¡¯s the only detail I can make out. A smile comes to my face as they give me a nod.

    ¡°You guys staying for breakfast, or?¡± I turn to the Lake Trio.

    They share a look. Mesprit definitely wants to stay but doesn¡¯t want to speak up for some reason. The other two also look interested but hesitant.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Uxie says ¡°We have business. I will make sure to visit when I have some time to spare.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I yawn again ¡°Have fun.¡±

    All three wave this time before popping away to do whatever they have planned. I stay cuddled in my blanket for a little more and only get up once I hear Mum and Dad rummaging in the hallway. The sun is already rising by that point but it barely touches the tips of the mountains west of Oreburgh.

    I let out Lili and we enjoy a relaxed breakfast before Dad has to leave for another shift. They have to run overtime right before the season starts to get more ore for whatever trainers need on their Journeys. I check and find I still have half a ton of iron ore sitting in my satchel so I won¡¯t have to look for more when I want to make more Pok¨¦ Balls.

    Rob crawls out of his room half an hour after Dad is out of the house, which is earlier than I expected from him. Geodude is out and levitating behind him. Lili joins the little floating rock and they take to the bathroom. Somehow she convinced him that taking a shower is good training for facing Water Types.

    My little brother only barely pays attention as Mum and Nadya plan out the day. I leave them to it. The experience will be useful and I have everything they could forget with me. We finally set out at around eight in the morning after Mum packs and unpacks several bags. My friends are waiting for us at the North Gate. I greet Min, Mel, and Sara with a hug each and then we¡¯re out of the city and onto the fields.

    We take the time to find a more secluded spot where we won¡¯t be interrupted by random trainers wanting to battle before setting up. It¡¯s a decently large clearing close to the mountains and hidden from the normal paths by a bunch of trees with a small river cutting through one side of it. There are boulders and gravel all over and a bit of grass is peeking through in some places.

    I let out Lili and Lulu to scout the immediate area while setting up a small campsite. I find a few flat rocks that will serve just fine as seats and build a fireplace but don¡¯t put any wood in it, yet. We might not need it but it¡¯s nice to be prepared. Gligar helps me by bringing over a few stones.

    In the meantime, the others all release their Pok¨¦mon as well. Nadya is keeping to the shadows with Mum sticking close to her. Rob and his Geodude are there as well. Mel releases her Lumineon in the river where she happily splashes her fins. Sara lets out Buizel and Kricketot and has them help us with the campsite. Min¡¯s Diglett freezes as soon as he spots me but her Ponyta is very friendly and curiously approaches me. I reach up to caress the side of her face and she leans into my touch. Her head reaches up to just a little below my neck which makes her taller than average.

    ¡°Hello, there. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Zoe.¡±

    I glance over at Diglett. It¡¯s been quite a while for me since I last saw him but I still remember those intense eyes and the cute button-nose.

    ¡°And hello, Veil. Long time no see.¡±

    Min bends down to pat the little guy.

    ¡°See, I told you. We¡¯re best friends again. No need to be angry.¡±

    Her Diglett always had a competitive mindset. He got disillusioned by how difficult it was to really get through the first Gym and then got angry at me when I fought with Min. Or that¡¯s what I thought. Now, I can tell he¡¯s a little annoyed at how much Min has been pushing him but there¡¯s a glint of happiness in his eyes.

    ¡°Diglett,¡± he greets me.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m glad to be back.¡±

    Min comes over and gives her Ponyta a hug.

    ¡°Her name is Ember. She just likes the Move way too much.¡±

    ¡°So you like to keep your distance, then?¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon nods.

    ¡°I see. Your species doesn¡¯t get a lot of good Moves to hit from a distance. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to stick with that strategy all that well.¡±

    She whinnies and pushes my chin with her nose. The heat from her fiery mane warms my skin and I laugh.

    ¡°You still have a lot of time to get used to the idea, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    A cracking noise interrupts us. Rob has Geodude move through the undergrowth and clean up some rocks. Looks like Mum wants some space to work with Nadya that¡¯s protected from the sun. Mel and Sara are also getting ready with their Pok¨¦mon. Buizel and Lumineon are lazily swimming through the river while their trainers talk to each other and Kricketot is going through some basic endurance training.

    ¡°Looks like we get to start together,¡± I say ¡°If you want.¡±

    Min gives me a side hug.

    ¡°Gladly. Teach me, oh great Master!¡±

    I laugh at Diglett¡¯s expression. I whistle and Lili turns from her scouting and rushes to us. The wind when she stops billows Min¡¯s hair making my friend complain. Mine is braided to stay in place and I just give her a grin.

    ¡°Now, then. Veil, Ember, this is Lili. I don¡¯t have a nickname for Gligar yet but we¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    He gives me a nod.

    ¡°Gligar is a new member of the team and will need to play catch-up. I¡¯ll be working with him for most of today. For the two of you, I don¡¯t know much about the Diglett line but I¡¯m familiar with Ponyta. I¡¯d suggest Lili and Ember work together on some basics while Min takes Veil and shows Gligar some things.¡±

    The others all share a look. Only Lili is relaxed, slightly swaying back and forth. Ember whinnies at my Grass Dancer and gets a chirp in return. The Ponyta¡¯s ears perk up and her flames burn a little brighter. I watch the two of them move away as Min looks between me and her newest team member.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask.

    ¡°You just let them work by themselves?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t give everyone my full attention all the time. It¡¯s better to spend short bursts of intensive training with just one of your Pok¨¦mon and then bring things together with the rest once you got the basics worked out.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I guess. You wanna go for a spar or something?¡±

    ¡°Gli¡­¡±

    Gligar hides behind my legs.

    ¡°No,¡± I giggle ¡°That¡¯s a little early. I want Veil to help Gligar with his Ground Type Moves. And maybe Sandstorm if we have the time. It¡¯s best to have multiple points of reference.¡±

    ¡°Right. So, Mud Slap? Bulldoze? We¡¯ve been working on Dig but I don¡¯t know if Gligar can even learn that.¡±

    ¡°Not naturally but it¡¯s possible with a decent teacher. Sand Attack and Mud Slap are enough, for now. Earthquake would be the end goal in say¡­ three months?¡±

    Min gives me an incredulous look and I smirk. She shakes her head.

    ¡°You heard her, Veil. Let¡¯s show them a Sand Attack.¡±

    I pat Gligar¡¯s head as he carefully peeks out from behind my legs. Veil is sliding through the ground to get some distance before blasting a little bit of Ground Type Energy into¡­ well, the ground. Some of the gravel is thrown up but not enough to account for the cloud of dust suddenly bursting into the air. It¡¯s nearly impossible to look through but most of the larger pieces fall quickly and let me spot the trees further back.

    ¡°That was great!¡± Min shouts and I have to smile.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± I ask Gligar.

    He shakes his head with a mumble.

    ¡°Exactly. That is what the move does. It pushes a bunch of sand into the air. By hitting the ground, you get some larger pieces that inconvenience your opponent but they drop quickly and prevent some of the sand from forming. It¡¯s still the best way to use the Move. Even if you could hide in a sand cloud for longer, a simple Gust and even something like an Ember can blast it away without issues. Sand Attack is a distraction. It buys time to use a different Move or reposition. And it works best when you aim for the eyes.¡±

    My little scorpion thinks about it for a moment before nodding.

    ¡°Gli!¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I smile ¡°Give it a try.¡±

    He steps forward, Diglett giving him some space. Gligar pushes the Ground TE into his claws before hesitating. With a shout, he punches the ground just a little after letting the TE go. A cloud of sand blasts off¡­ into the rocks. The Sand Attack bounces off a little but it doesn¡¯t reach higher than a hand-span. He glances at me dejectedly but quickly turns back and channels more Ground TE.

    I can¡¯t help but smile. He really wants to make this work, huh?

    The next Sand Attack has much better timing. He still lets it go a little early, just as his claw hits the gravel, but it blasts a screen of debris anyway.

    ¡°Great!¡± I say ¡°Try a little later. You¡¯ll get a wider screen if your claw is pointing up when you let go.¡±

    ¡°Gli!¡± he says and tries again. This time it¡¯s a full success.

    He turns and jumps at me in happiness. Before his feet leave the floor, Ground TE is in my hands. He has just spread his wings wide when I blast him with my own Sand Attack. This one without any rocks, since I didn¡¯t punch the ground. Punching rocks hurts. It still manages to land on him and he cries out. I step out of the way of his flight path and carefully catch him from the side. He tries to rub the sand out of his eyes but my quick hug prevents him from moving.

    ¡°Gliii¡­!¡± he complains.

    ¡°And that¡¯s why using Sand Attack with the ground is unnecessary,¡± I say ¡°You just need to be quick at it.¡±

    I look to the side and spot Min staring at me with a wide-open mouth. Her partner is much less awed but still obviously interested.

    ¡°Not that that applies to you, Veil. Diglett being always in the ground can use it quickly while adding rocks whenever they want. Gligar is a partial Flying Type, though.¡±

    ¡°You¡­,¡± Min tries, then her mouth flaps closed in a pout ¡°Unfair!¡±

    Her yell draws the attention of the others.

    ¡°You can use Moves!¡±

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t!¡±

    I blink.

    ¡°Right. I knew I forgot something.¡±

    ¡°You FORGOT?¡±

    ¡°Dig,¡± Veil nods.

    ¡°Yeah, sort of.¡±

    Sara and Mel step up, their Pok¨¦mon with them.

    ¡°You can¡­ use Moves?¡±, Sara asks ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Arceus.¡±

    She glares at me.

    ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse.¡±

    ¡°No, literally. I got a gift from them. Without that, it¡¯d be nearly impossible.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Prove it.¡±

    ¡°That it¡¯s impossible?¡± I grin.

    ¡°No, idiot!¡± Sara sighs ¡°I wanna see a Move.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. Anything in mind?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ Something flashy. Maybe a Flamethrower?¡±

    I nod and step forward. The Sand Attacks have mostly dispersed by now so I don¡¯t have to worry about that. I make sure everyone is looking before holding out my hands, palms forward. I take a moment to channel some extra Fire TE into the Move before pushing them together. With a rushing sound, a series of sparks, and a blast of heat, a small burning orb pops up in front of my hands. I make sure to channel as much energy as I can into it before letting go.

    The cone of flames is glorious. It always is. When I first learned how to use Type Energy, Fire was one of my favourites. No more having to rely on flint and steel to start a fire. Just blast a small Ember into the pit of tinder. Flamethrower, though? The cone of orange, yellow, and white warms you up. It burns hot enough to make the stones start to glow. And yet, because I¡¯m using it, it doesn¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s rather pleasant, in fact. Like a sunny summer day of lazing in the sun. Combine that with the feeling of power when even the stronger Pok¨¦mon avoid the fire and you have something truly special. Something normal people can never feel.

    In some ways, I can understand why Lili loves fighting so much. This feeling of strength, of power, of superiority. It¡¯s truly intoxicating. If my Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t as strong as they are, I might have believed myself invincible.

    The flames stop. I burned through my reserves and the Move would fizzle to a much weaker version. Something a Quilava might produce when they¡¯re just starting to learn the Move.

    I turn around, arms spread and a smile on my face. I somehow manage to suppress the shaking of my hands.

    ¡°How was that?¡±

    ¡°Awesome!¡± Rob calls from the trees. Mum is smiling wryly next to him while Geodude is pumping his fist.

    ¡°In. Fucking. Sane,¡± Sara says ¡°That¡¯s a pretty strong Flamethrower. I¡¯d expect something like that from a Charizard, maybe. Not from¡­¡± she hesitates ¡°You know?¡±

    I put my hands on my hips.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your Typing?¡± Mel asks.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She looks confused and I give her a wink.

    ¡°I can pick and choose which Type Energy I channel. That determines my Typing and the Type of Moves I can use. When I use it up, I lose the Typing.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you can have all Typings at the same time?¡± Sara asks.

    ¡°No. I just recently figured out how to use two at once. But it¡¯s pretty easy to just blast out a Move and charge a new Typing.¡±

    ¡°What happens when you don¡¯t channel anything?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a Typing. Just like normal people,¡± I shrug ¡°I still have neutral Aura so I¡¯m pretty sturdy, even for a high-level Trainer.¡±

    Min finally manages to close her mouth. She rushes at me and jumps into my arms with a laugh.

    ¡°That was so cool!¡± she shouts ¡°SoCoolSoCoolSoCooool!!¡±

    I snuggle into her. Something in my heart untwists. I feel¡­ relieved. My friends didn¡¯t freak out, at least. Now hoping that the rest of the world isn¡¯t going to be much worse.

 011 Training

    With everyone¡¯s curiosity settled at least a little, we can finally get back to training. I end up teaching Min¡¯s Diglett Veil, and Gligar a little more by showing them how I use Sand Attack in a spar. They approach me with the goal to touch me while I have to avoid them without leaving the ground. It¡¯s a lot of fun keeping my eyes on both of them, especially once Gligar grows more confident and takes to the air to come in from unexpected angles. We end up in a pile, laughing.

    Their next task is to work on Mud Slap which is a somewhat similar move to Sand Attack, just much heavier so it actually does some damage. We use a large rock as a target at first to get both of them used to the Move. Gligar has some issues, though. He can¡¯t quite channel enough Ground Type Energy to create a significant mass and his Mud Slaps are more like loose clumps of dirt flying around. I decide to leave them to it since Veil is pretty skilled with the Move. He can answer any questions Gligar might have.

    Min and I move on to see how Lili and Ember are doing. My Liligant might not know any Fire Type Moves besides Sunny Day but she¡¯s experienced enough to still give some pointers. The Ponyta is still a little hesitant to get in close but they¡¯re both speedsters so they get along quite well. We simply watch as Lili throws up rocks for Ember to hit. She uses her signature move, Ember, most of the time but only gets a point if she¡¯s no more than a body length away when firing the Move and more than that once it lands. Occasionally, Lili calls out another Move like Tackle, Tail Whip, or Growl, and Ember has to use it instead. If she fails or misses, Lili chases her around for ten seconds.

    Min finally manages to take her eyes off the training session and turns to me.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ really effective. Ember hasn¡¯t been moving around this much, ever. And there¡¯s enough of a break in between the rocks that it¡¯s not too exhausting.¡±

    ¡°Lili is my best fighter,¡± I say ¡°She¡¯s trained a lot of other Pok¨¦mon over the years.¡±

    ¡°I can see that. Does make me feel kinda inadequate, though¡­¡±

    I laugh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I feel the same. I¡¯m often less of a Pok¨¦mon Trainer and more of a trainee. Lili taught me most of what I know as well.¡±

    Min leans into me.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back, Zoe.¡±

    ¡°Me too, Min. Me too.¡±

    We watch our Pok¨¦mon for a little longer before Sarah and Mel walk up to us.

    ¡°Up for a switch, guys?¡± Sara asks.

    ¡°Sure. Ten minutes break, first.¡±

    She nods and we call our Pok¨¦mon to stop training for a bit. Everyone gets some water and a small snack, though mum and Rob stay working in their part of the forest. I shrug and leave them to it. Nadya seems very enthusiastic to fight Geodude despite the terrible matchup.

    We settle on the rocks I prepared earlier, our Pok¨¦mon forming their own little circle and talking animatedly. Even Lulu finds a moment to stop her constant prowling around the perimeter to get some water.

    ¡°Zoe¡­¡± Sara looks at me with a hint of hesitation. I give her an encouraging smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m wondering. Can you teach us anything about¡­ Aura?¡±

    I blink then shake my head.

    ¡°In theory? Yes. In practice it¡¯ll be a lot of hard physical training and I don¡¯t know much about the details because I get to cheat. I¡¯d have to find a Lucario, maybe even a whole family of them, to give proper pointers.¡±

    She narrows her eyes.

    ¡°Okay. Then tell me about the theory.¡±

    I glance at the other two and they¡¯re interested as well.

    ¡°Aura is¡­ a complicated term. Mostly because it makes you think about things that are just flat out wrong but can still be achieved by training in Aura. What it is at it¡¯s baseline is not some ethereal power all around us, or even just in living beings. Aura is simply a form of energy produced in souls. Don¡¯t ask me what souls are,¡± I glare at my friends and they giggle ¡°No, seriously. I don¡¯t know. The Lake Trio has something to do with sapience which is tied to souls and Arceus probably has an idea but I never got a clear explanation out of them.¡±

    ¡°Fair,¡± Sara says ¡°So Aura just comes from somewhere inside people?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°As long as you include Pok¨¦mon in ¡®people¡¯. The reason most Pok¨¦mon can¡¯t use plain Aura is because of what makes them Pok¨¦mon. Something about the way their soul is tied to their body makes them automatically transmute any Aura they produce into Type Energy. You can think of that sort of like ¡®Aura with a flavour¡¯. Lucario are special in that they train from a young age to intercept that process but they still have a major part of their Aura transformed into TE.¡±

    ¡°What about humans?¡± Min asks ¡°What happens to our Aura? Or do we just not have enough.¡±

    ¡°That is an interesting question. You know how most people are fine even when they get hit by a Flamethrower or fall off a cliff? There is a way everyone instinctively uses Aura. The training I talked about is mostly about forming your body so that Aura automatically flows through it at all times. That way, you can easily tap into the flow and do all kinds of things. Like understand the words Pok¨¦mon say. I can¡¯t do that, by the way. I read their intentions and emotions to figure out what they¡¯re saying.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I thought¡­¡± Sara taps the corner of her mouth ¡°It makes sense, though. Then what¡¯s special about you is that you somehow turn your Aura automatically into Type Energy. Right?¡±

    ¡°Sort of,¡± I grin ¡°I got a gift from Arceus which does it for me. By default, it doesn¡¯t change my Aura. It enhances it a little making me just a normal, if powerful, Trainer. I learned to adjust it to where it gives me Type Energy of one specific Type. Getting two at the same time was just a case of drawing on it less quickly.¡±

    ¡°What kind of gift was it?¡± Mel tilts her head. Her grin is a little off ¡°And how did you get it to your soul?¡±

    I blast her with a quick Water Gun which makes her sputter and everyone else laugh.

    ¡°Nothing of the kind you¡¯re thinking. And I won¡¯t give you any details because then I¡¯ll get shouted at by the Boss.¡±

    ¡°The Boss is¡­?¡± Min asks.

    ¡°Arceus. Yes, they are sort of telling every Pok¨¦mon what to do, though for most of them it happens through instincts. Because of that gift, I count, though they just talk to me if I have to do something. Not that it happened a lot¡­¡±

    My friends exchanged meaningful looks before turning back to me.

    ¡°So you¡¯re getting paid for your work, is what you¡¯re saying?¡± Sara asks ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re all¡­ ¡®special¡¯. Why you can use Moves?¡±

    ¡°I would say it¡¯s more of an apology gift for practically fucking over my life. Even if it turned out well in the end, nobody knew it would end up like this. The original plan never intended for me to get back to the present.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Well, I¡¯m glad you made it despite the odds,¡± Sara grins ¡°Because now we have a chance for greatness!¡±

    My friends¡¯ grins turn vicious.

    ¡°You guys want to be ¡®special¡¯?¡± I ask ¡°Or just famous?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they kinda go hand in hand,¡± Mel nods ¡°So, both.¡±

    ¡°Yes, both,¡± the other two agree.

    I shake my head with a smile.

    ¡°Then we better get to it! Lili!¡±

    My Pok¨¦mon jumps up and lands right in front of me. She does a small pirouette and bows.

    ¡°Yes, wonderful. Say, did you ever learn the proper Aura training techniques? You had those Lucario you lived with, right?¡±

    She chirps and nods, then waves her leaves.

    ¡°That should be good enough. How about this?¡± I turn to the whole group, our other Pok¨¦mon also paying attention, now ¡°I¡¯m going to teach the Pok¨¦mon together with Lulu while Lili takes these three frail humans and leads them onto the path of Aura training. Everyone okay with that?¡±

    ¡°What if we have complicated questions?¡± Sara asks.

    ¡°Lili will make herself understood.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon in question chirps happily and slaps her leaves together.

    ¡°Dig, diglett?¡± Veil asks.

    I nod.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be doing pretty much that, yes. Short demonstrations, followed by practice, and then a few short spars to get it ingrained in your muscle memory. You can ask me about strategy but most of that will come from your Trainers later down the line.¡±

    Veil nods and agrees, the others quickly following.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not so sure¡­¡± Mel looks up at Lili. I pat my friend¡¯s head as I walk past her.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Exhausted, but fine.¡±

    Lili chirps her encouragement as well and I suppress a giggle as I walk over to meet my students.

    ---

    Gligar is excited. His new Master is amazing! Or is it Mistress? Anyway, she¡¯s really strong! She even talked that incredibly scary Onix into going away. He got to watch her fight yesterday and it was amazing. And today, it¡¯s his turn to learn how to fight for real!

    It¡¯s going a bit slow but he¡¯s not the only one that has to learn. Veil, the Diglett, quickly turned out to be a good friend and Gligar can ask him about anything he wants to know. Now, they¡¯re getting special training for the whole group!

    The Madam¡­ no, that doesn¡¯t work either. Anyway, she¡¯s sitting down with their group of Pok¨¦mon. They¡¯re next to the river so the fish Pok¨¦mon can listen, too. Everyone is so nice to each other, it¡¯s nothing like in the caves. The rumours about how you could live a happy life with a human were really true! There¡¯s also the Ponyta, Ember, who is really fast and was training with Lady Lili earlier. Gligar feels his cheeks getting warm. The Lady Liligant is so beautiful and helpful¡­ He shakes his head and focuses back on his Boss. Hmm¡­ That¡¯s a bit better, at least.

    Boss Zoe is talking to the two Water Pok¨¦mon first. They¡¯re figuring out which Moves to practice. That Bug Type is joining the discussion sometimes but he doesn¡¯t have much to say. Obviously, because he¡¯s a Bug Type. They¡¯re all weak!

    ¡°So, want to practice Mud Slap again?¡± Veil asks.

    Gligar shakes his claw.

    ¡°Of course! I almost got it that one time!¡±

    Veil laughs.

    ¡°You¡¯re a fast learner. Or it¡¯s your Owner¡¯s a good teacher. I learned a lot today.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Owner? That¡­ was sort of right for now but Gligar didn¡¯t like the implications. He still nodded.

    ¡°She¡¯s great! She saved my life!¡±

    Ember laid down next to them.

    ¡°I want to learn a Flamethrower like that one she did earlier.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± Veil says ¡°She¡¯s so strong! Is she really a human?¡±

    ¡°The humans were talking about that yesterday,¡± Gligar says ¡°We went to that Lab place and she got tested and everything. The other humans said she¡¯s one of them.¡±

    ¡°You were at the Lab?¡± Veil asks, suddenly excited ¡°Did you meet the Professor?¡±

    ¡°I did. Is he someone special?¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me? The Pok¨¦mon Professor is one of the most important people of every Region! And Professor Rowan is really smart, I heard. He knows more about Pok¨¦mon than most Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Gligar looks away.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay,¡± Veil chuckles ¡°Sorry. Sometimes I forget that Wild Pok¨¦mon don¡¯t learn about any of that. Your life must¡¯ve been hard.¡±

    ¡°It was,¡± Gligar nods sagely ¡°The caves are terrifying. There were stories about the humans but most of them don¡¯t make it that deep into the mountains where we lived. Too many strong Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Ember choffs.

    ¡°Most humans won¡¯t even walk out on the plains to meet Pok¨¦mon. They¡¯re all so scared.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be scared too, if you couldn¡¯t use any Moves?¡± Veil asks.

    ¡°I mean¡­ fair. But still! The plains! They built that huge road thing so they don¡¯t have to walk on the grass! Though¡­ mum said the humans were really annoying before they got the road done.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re from this valley, then?¡± Gligar asks.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Ember nods ¡°My herd is still running around here somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you miss them?¡±

    ¡°A little? I always wanted to go on an adventure and it¡¯s nice but¡­ I¡¯d like to meet them again sometime.¡±

    She looks over and flinches at the look in Gligar¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. You want to talk about it?¡±

    He shakes his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s nice you can still think about your family.¡±

    Ember nuzzles his claw.

    ¡°You¡¯re always welcome to talk if you need someone.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, guys,¡± Gligar responds.

    He looks back to his Trainer and sees her smiling gently at him. Trainer¡­ that¡¯s almost right. She¡¯s done with the Water Types and that Bug is also looking ready to get started.

    ¡°You guys ready?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Yep!¡± he calls out.

    She pulls Gligar into a hug which he snuggles into before turning to the others.

    ¡°Since Ember has four bad matchups and one good one, she¡¯s going to have a hard time today. Craig here,¡± is that the name of the Bug? Looks like it¡­ ¡°he¡¯s volunteered to work with you on dodging and aiming. Start slow, both of you. Once Craig is exhausted, you¡¯ll get to play with Buizel and Craig will work with Luna. I showed them both how you worked with Lili earlier. If you have any ideas about how to improve the training for either of you, feel free to try them out. Lulu will keep an eye on you guys so you can get started right away.¡±

    Does Buizel not have a special name? Coach Zoe said she¡¯d find one for him later but the Buizel was with his trainer for a while, right?

    Ember nods and gets some distance before talking to her sparring partner. That huge Luxray is casually prowling around them but he can clearly tell she¡¯s listening to everything. She might be Electric Type but she¡¯s still a bit scary.

    ¡°That leaves you two. I¡¯m going to suggest working on Mud Slap again. When you get bored, feel free to add a light spar or some Sand Attack training. Your basic Moves are also always a good option to work on. Things like Harden, Knock Off, or Quick Attack for you, Gligar. You can use them, right?¡±

    Gligar nods which earns him some scritches behind the ears. He leans into Zoe¡¯s hand happily.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit Veil with Poison Sting, if you can, that would just slow down the training. We¡¯ll work on that slowly over the next month or so. For you, Veil, the basic Moves would be Scratch, Growl, and Astonish, right?¡±

    The Diglett nods.

    ¡°Feel free to work on some of the more difficult stuff as well. The most important thing is having fun. That makes for the most effective learning experience, I found. I¡¯m going to work with Luna and Buizel to begin with. Okay?¡±

    Gligar grumbles but eventually disengages from the hug. Zoe feels so warm. Almost like his Mum. She¡¯s obviously not his Mum but¡­ an Aunt? That might be it. Aunt Zoe. Has a nice ring to it.

    She rubs his head, somehow aware of what he¡¯s thinking, he can tell.

    ¡°You be good, okay?¡±

    Gligar nods and rumbles with contentment. Then Aunt Zoe stands up and walks over to the Water Types. They¡¯re a little scary but Veil told him they¡¯re nice. He¡¯s known them both for a while, now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back into it!¡± the Diglett calls. Gligar jumps and spreads his wings with a cry, immediately falling into a glide towards a slightly more open area.

    Both of them spend a few minutes working on Mud Slap when Gligar has an idea.

    ¡°Hey, Veil. Let¡¯s do the same thing Lady Lili and Ember did earlier.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± the Diglett glances over.

    ¡°We call out some of the other Moves and the other one has to use that one for the next attack.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Sand Attack!¡±

    ¡°Ah! Unfair!¡±

    Gligar throws his claws out and shoots a sparse cloud of sand. He blinks.

    ¡°That was better than I thought.¡±

    Veil snickers.

    ¡°Still a lot to work on.¡±

    ¡°True. Astonish!¡±

    Veil stumbles, though Gligar isn¡¯t sure how that¡¯s possible for a Diglett, before a wave of Ghost TE shoots out of his face. Wait, was the stumble planned?

    ¡°Hah! I still got it!¡±

    Gligar joins in the laugh before going back to attempting Mud Slap. The Ground TE flows pretty well by now but he can¡¯t keep enough of it concentrated in his claws. When he shoots the Move, half of what he wanted to use is already back to cycling through his body. He¡¯s trying to forcefully slow it down without breaking the cycle but it¡¯s proving difficult. Maybe he just needs to go faster?

    ¡°Growl!¡± he calls a minute later.

    ¡°Rriight!¡± Veil twists his tongue. The Move still goes out properly and Gligar flinches a bit. It¡¯s not very strong, though.

    ¡°That was mean. I was just about to shoot a Mud Slap.¡±

    Gligar laughed.

    ¡°Think fast. That¡¯s what Lady Lili always says!¡±

    The Diglett nods.

    ¡°I can see it. If I was a little more focused I could¡¯ve shot the Mud Slap out right after the Growl. Would probably be a lot weaker, though¡­¡±

    A shout of exasperation interrupts them. One of the other humans, the one with the straight black hair, is lying on the ground and breathing heavily.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this!¡± she screams into the air.

    Lady Lili kneels down next to the human and pats her head. She chirps some quiet words. Gligar wonders what she¡¯s saying but it¡¯s too far away to hear. The other two humans also look exhausted but they¡¯re laughing.

    ¡°Your teammate is so strong, she trains the humans,¡± Veil laughs ¡°And she¡¯s doing a good job at it. I always thought Owner could use some more muscles.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your Trainer?¡± Gligar asks.

    ¡°Yep. She¡¯s lazy and loves sweets. But we worked a lot for the first Circuit attempt and didn¡¯t get far. I think that hit her more than she admitted to herself.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Wait, you know these humans for a long time, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ what was Aunt Zoe like?¡±

    ¡°¡­ hmm. That¡¯s difficult. Let me think¡­¡±

    Gligar gives him a shove which makes the Diglett laugh.

    ¡°Right, so. Zoe is a bit strange. She¡¯s never been like this. She had that whole thing where she disappeared for a while and now that she¡¯s back she¡¯s so much smarter about everything. I should thank her for getting my Owner off her ass. I was almost thinking about trying to find a new Trainer that wanted to go for the Circuit again but¡­¡±

    He shook his head. Or rather, most of his body.

    ¡°Nevermind. Zoe is really strong all of a sudden. Before that, she was not very¡­ how do I say this? Driven? Yeah, she wasn¡¯t driven. She had no goals to work towards. Still doesn¡¯t, but it feels different. More like she¡¯s taking a break than that she doesn¡¯t know what to do with herself. I think this Circuit is more of a vacation for her. We¡¯ll see how far you guys make it.¡±

    ¡°We have Lady Lili and that monster Lulu,¡± Gligar protests ¡°Though Cynthia¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were really strong, too¡­¡±

    Veil nods.

    ¡°Cynthia is the Champion. She¡¯s the strongest Pok¨¦mon Trainer. But the Elite Four and the Gym Leaders with their personal teams are probably the next strongest. A few of the competitive Trainers that do the Circuit every year can get most of them to use their personal teams, though¡­ I think Sara said something about them trying to get positions in the Elite Four¡­¡±

    Gligar turns away. That¡¯s not really the question he asked. Veil¡¯s Trainer is up again, carefully moving through something Lady Lili is showing her. It looks a bit like a dance but the human can¡¯t move her arms and legs all that well and Lady Lili is pushing them into the right positions where necessary. He starts to charge another Mud Slap.

    ¡°¡­ and it¡¯s difficult to tell if¡­ Hey! Harden!¡± Veil shouts suddenly.

    Without even thinking about it, Gligar shoots Normal TE all over his body. His carapace turns shiny and tough within moments. He doesn¡¯t even stop the movement and rams a claw into his rocky target. A blast of mud splatters on the stone and Gligar blinks.

    ¡°Hey, that worked!¡±

    Veil is staring at him with wide eyes.

    ¡°Holy shit, that was a fast Harden.¡±

    Gligar tilts his head. Another blast of Normal TE strengthens his body even more.

    ¡°Was that supposed to be another call?¡± he asks ¡°This soon?¡±

    Veil glares at him.

    ¡°No. How did you learn how to do that so fast?¡±

    He turns to the side.

    ¡°It was that or die, down in the caves. I need to leave some time between uses, though. The Normal TE I¡¯m always cycling is just enough for two Harden and two Quick Attack to get away safely.¡±

    ¡°Always cycling? Like, all the time?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°¡­ you can do that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s how you do it, no? Just cycle the TE quick enough and you can blast it out as a Move whenever you want.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works!¡± Veil shouts.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zoe asks from the side. She¡¯s standing there with C¡­ Craig. That was his name. The Bug Type.

    ¡°Your weakest Pok¨¦mon is insane. Can you please tell him to stop always cycling TE? That¡¯s stupid!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I do it all the time. It¡¯s how I can have a Typing. Though when I use it up, it doesn¡¯t refill automatically.¡±

    ¡°Okay, yes. With your Typing. He¡¯s doing it with Normal TE!¡±

    Aunt Zoe smiles at him.

    ¡°So? It¡¯s easier for your Typing but it¡¯s not a problem if it¡¯s not.¡±

    Gligar looks over at Craig.

    ¡°Is it really weird?¡±

    The Bug Type chirps a weird note before replying.

    ¡°I never heard of it.¡±

    Aunt Zoe sits down and pulls Gligar into her lap.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll hit you with an Arm Thrust. Tell me what it does to your cycling.¡±

    He¡¯s a little worried but still nods. She barely even moves her palm to tap his side.

    ¡°It stings a little and it shoves my Normal Energy around but doesn¡¯t stop it.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. You know about Type effectiveness, right?¡±

    Everyone nods.

    ¡°The interactions between TE are mostly disruptions of that flow. Your Typing¡¯s Energy always flows through your body, no matter what. If it stops completely, you¡¯re knocked out until the flow restarts. That¡¯s what some Trainers call Stamina.

    ¡°If you can cycle other TE, it will be interrupted by super effective Moves but it actually forms a small buffer against them since it draws it away from your Stamina. The negative is that you have to focus on it while you¡¯re learning. But once you get enough practice, it¡¯ll be second nature. Lili always cycles some Fire TE, just enough for a Sunny Day. The Move is one of the biggest reasons why she¡¯s so strong.

    ¡°But if you do it for a Type you use a lot, the cycling Energy will get used up very quickly and it¡¯ll make rapidly charging Moves more difficult. Or overloading them. So Lulu could use her Fire Fang or Ice Fang from cycling TE but if she wants to use more than two or three strong ones in a row, she¡¯d use it all up and run ¡®out¡¯ of Moves.¡±

    Veil and Craig both stare at Aunt Zoe. She¡¯s so smart! But¡­

    ¡°What about Thunder Fang?¡± the Diglett asks.

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing with Pok¨¦mon. With their Typing, they always cycle the respective Energy, and a lot of it. You¡¯ll have much more access to Ground TE than any other, which means you can overload your Moves much more easily, and learn Moves of that Type more quickly. It¡¯s also more difficult to run out of it, practically impossible as long as you don¡¯t get hit, in fact. You will get exhausted if you overdo it, though. But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll increase as you grow stronger. How exactly that looks is different for every Pok¨¦mon, even of the same species. It¡¯s like humans and training their arms, or their legs, or their brain. You have to work on all of them a bit but usually, you focus on one part.¡±

    The three Pok¨¦mon exchange blank looks making Zoe laugh.

    ¡°Okay, maybe that was a bit much for a start. Just know that cycling TE is extremely useful but comes with downsides as well. Figure out where your Moveset is going and which ones you need to always have ready versus what Types you need versatility on.¡±

    Veil nods slowly.

    ¡°I can work with that, I think. Thank you for the explanation.¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± she pats his head ¡°You can always ask me if you have a question.¡±

    ¡°So, what now?¡± Gligar asks.

    Aunt Zoe gives him a smile.

    ¡°I say you three keep going for a bit longer. Do some sparring in between, but keep it light. If you want a challenge, you can play tag but only use Moves for movement. It makes you think outside the box.¡±

    The three Pok¨¦mon nod happily.

    ¡°That sounds fun!¡± Gligar grins ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ---

    With cries of excitement, the three are off to play and train some more. I smile as I watch them go at it. Gligar obviously has the advantage with his wings but his kind have difficulty staying in the air for long and the others are smart about restricting his airspace with Sand Attacks and X-Scissors. Sara and Craig obviously worked hard on the Move, refining it to the point he can shoot the energy blades some distance.

    Rob and Mum walk over, finally ready to take a break of their own. Nadya is looking smug, if exhausted, and Geodude has a slightly worried expression. We sit down on the rocks.

    ¡°How are you guys doing?¡± I ask ¡°Anything of note?¡±

    Rob snorts.

    ¡°¡¯Anything of note¡¯? Where did you get that expression from?¡±

    I laugh.

    ¡°Professor Laventon often asked me that when I got back from my research trips. Seems like it stuck with me.¡±

    Mum smiles gently as she pets Nadya.

    ¡°We¡¯re doing pretty well, I think. It was exciting.¡±

    Rob puts his chin in his hands and sighs.

    ¡°I¡¯m just bad. Geodude is stronger than Nadya and has a Typing advantage and we still lost.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon in question hovers higher and pats Rob on the head. My brother smiles wryly at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯m just bad.¡±

    I give him a hug.

    ¡°You¡¯re just starting out and Mum is a data specialist. Of course she realized how to win the matchup. Geodude doesn¡¯t really know any ranged attacks after all.¡±

    ¡°Dude¡­¡± my former Pok¨¦mon looks dejected. I pick him up and give him a strong hug.

    ¡°I never really trained you for strength, or even fighting at all. It¡¯s not your fault. Do you want to get stronger?¡±

    ¡°Geo.¡±

    I meet his eyes for a second. That was a little difficult to understand.

    ¡°You¡¯re fine just relaxing at home?¡±

    He nods.

    ¡°But you¡¯re also fine battling¡­ because you want Rob to be happy?¡±

    ¡°Geodude,¡± he nods.

    ¡°Alright. Here¡¯s the deal. I¡¯ll teach you Rock Throw and you stay with Rob until he has his own Pok¨¦mon to a decent level. Help him catch someone that wants to fight, okay?¡±

    He grins this time and flexes one hand.

    ¡°Dude!¡±

    ¡°Great. You okay with that, Rob?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sis. You don¡¯t need to hold my hand, I¡¯ll be following you no matter what.¡±

    I rub his hair.

    ¡°Do your best. You can always call if you need something, lil¡¯ bro.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± he bats at my arm and we laugh.

    I look over my friends training with Lili, their Pok¨¦mon practising Moves without direct supervision and happily going about it, and Lulu back to running through the woods around us. It can stay like this. Just playing with my friends and family is all I really need. Though I could use some more exercise¡­ I jump up with a grin and run into the forest to chase Lulu around. Mum laughs behind me while Lili giggles into her arm-leaf. Life is good.

 012 Show-Off

    I sigh and lean back into Lulu¡¯s body. My hand holding the phone drops to the floor listlessly. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. When I open them again, Lulu is looking at me with worry on her face. She rumbles softly.

    I reach up to scratch her chin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Lulu.¡±

    Another sigh almost escapes my lips but I managed to catch it and sit up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to be late.¡±

    My big friend purrs and nuzzles my face. I give her a quick hug before standing up and recalling her. Lili comes into my room and chirps. She¡¯s holding a familiar box. A simple rectangular thing made from mostly opaque yellow plastic. It has a scratched up Growlithe sticker on top. The corners are chipped slightly and I can make out the shades of contents within. My eyes are watering. That¡¯s my old lunchbox. I had completely forgotten about it. With shaking fingers I put it into my satchel.

    Lili chirps and gives me a hug before recalling herself as well. Gligar is already in his Pok¨¦ Ball. I put all three of them into the special pocket on the lid of my satchel for easy access. With one last sigh, I leave my room and make for the door. It¡¯s time to go back to school.

    Mum gives me a hug and a kiss on my forehead before shuffling back into the kitchen where Rob is blearily shuffling cereal into his face. My little brother is in his final year of Grade School and has his first lesson a little later than I have mine. Horsepower High is also a little further away. I¡¯m wearing my school uniform, a simple white blouse with a brown collar and a knee length brown shirt with white overknees. The shoes are the only thing where we have some freedom to choose, as long as they don¡¯t have any logos or something like that. Mine are the old black trainers I had from before Hisui. They still fit perfectly even after two decades of not wearing them.

    I find myself on the road walking down a familiar path before I know it. The nostalgia is almost overwhelming when the school building finally comes into view. It¡¯s a bright complex with white walls and coloured window frames going all the way through the rainbow. There are two wings, each three storeys tall, with a connecting gangway in the middle on the second and third floor. In between the buildings is space for the students to move between classes or catch some fresh air between lessons and to the left is a large open pasture for practical Pok¨¦mon lessons surrounded by a fence. I spot some of the schools Pok¨¦mon out and about playing with the students.

    And oh, there are a lot of students. I kind of tuned them out as parts of the landscape but now that I notice them, I find everyone staring at me. No, wait. Just the people close enough to make out my face are staring. I shake my head before stumbling forward from a weight jumping onto my back.

    ¡°Morning, Zoe!¡± Min laughs as I grab onto her arm and squeeze.

    ¡°Morning,¡± I smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mel is late but Sara is probably waiting inside.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    My smile brightens and I ignore the murmuring around me. It¡¯s pretty much just curiosity rather than the animosity I faced when Kamado banished me from Jubilife Village. I suppress a shudder at the memory and refocus on Min¡¯s happy chatter.

    ¡°¡­ so we¡¯re going for some ice cream later and then doing some more training. Wanna come with?¡±

    I smirk.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re training Lili has to be there to supervise your progress. Obviously I have to come along.¡±

    Min¡¯s eyes widen just slightly. I laugh and pat her on the back.

    ¡°Come on, she¡¯s not that bad.¡±

    ¡°¡­ eh, yeah. I¡¯m still a little sore, to be honest. Maybe we can get back to it tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Ember and Veil are looking forward to their own training. Don¡¯t disappoint them, okay?¡±

    ¡°Zoe!¡± a voice interrupts us as we reach our class room ¡°You¡¯re really back!¡±

    I turn to spot frizzy hair just about half a head taller than me. The boy turns to me with a smile that¡­ yeah, no thanks. Was he always like that?

    ¡°Morning, Sven,¡± I greet neutrally ¡°As you can see, I have returned.¡±

    ¡°What happened? Is everything alright, now? You didn¡¯t get hurt, did you?¡±

    I giggle at the reminder of sparring with Mesprit and Giratina. I wouldn¡¯t call those injuries¡­ Mes always used Heal Pulse to fix me back up.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m good. It¡¯s a long story, I don¡¯t really want to talk about it.¡±

    He takes half a step closer and tries to put a hand on my shoulder. I slip around him and move straight into Sara, giving her a hug.

    ¡°Morning, Sara. How was your weekend?¡±

    ¡°Very productive. Thanks for the help on Saturday, though I¡¯m still a little sore.¡±

    ¡°That just means you need to train more. If you can feel pain, you can make gains!¡±

    ¡°Where did you get that from?¡± Sven asks. I¡¯m silently impressed, he recovered quite quickly.

    ¡°A friend of mine lived by that motto. She taught me a lot.¡±

    ¡°Lived?¡±

    Mrs Reed enters the class room right at that moment, leaving poor Sven to his confusion as everyone finds their seats. She is one of the stronger Trainers of the school¡¯s teachers. Strong enough to look like she¡¯s still in her mid twenties even though she¡¯s just past thirty. Her long wavy locks of hair have a slight green tone to them, one of the rarer colours you can find like my own platinum blonde. The teacher gives me a soft smile before turning to address the class.

    ¡°Good morning, everyone. As you can see, Zoe has decided to deign us with her appearance once more. Wherever she disappeared to, I hope we won¡¯t have to miss her again.¡±

    I smile as most of the other students laugh.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll leave you all to self study. Please read pages 318 to 321 and do the exercises outlined on them. I have to take Zoe to the Principal¡¯s office. Don¡¯t make too much of a mess!¡±

    The others somewhat lazily voice their agreement as I get up again to follow Mrs Reed into the hallway. We don¡¯t talk on our walk to the Principal¡¯s office but she occasionally glances back at me. Once we enter the reception room, the school¡¯s Secretary gives me a nod and a smile.

    ¡°Principal Stark is waiting for you,¡± she says ¡°Go right in.¡±

    We enter the office and I meet the stern face of the Principal. Mr Stark is an older man with greying hair and a cleanly trimmed beard. His face shows signs of weather and age and most of the students are somewhere between scared and respectful when dealing with him. That said, he has a reputation as being fair and HP High is well-regarded in Oreburgh.

    The man stands up and walks around his desk.

    ¡°Good Morning,¡± he offers his hand ¡°You are Zoe Crones, I assume?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±

    I shake. He has a strong grip, but not oppressive. I spot the corner of his mouth twitching upwards.

    ¡°I¡¯m Samuel Stark. Colour me surprised to get a call from the Professor Rowan this morning. Congratulations on becoming an official Lab Trainer.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Mrs Reed blinks rapidly ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down. We have a lot to talk about, I believe. Can I offer you something to drink?¡±

    There¡¯s a small sitting table with some comfortable arm chairs in one corner of the office. I accept a glass of water with the principal and my teacher both having a cup of coffee. I endure the smell.

    ¡°Zoe,¡± the principal begins ¡°before we get into it, you have no obligation to tell us anything. The Professor vouched for you and you will not have to repeat this school year no matter what. Your absence has been excused. You will have a few exams to catch up with this week but since you¡¯re going on another trip for the Circuit next season, failing any won¡¯t set you back. You can repeat them at any time before coming back to school, if you so wish to.¡±

    I nod calmly. Mrs Reed is looking less confused now and observes me with intrigue.

    ¡°That said, I¡¯m very curious where you have been and how you got to become a Lab Trainer.¡±

    I lean back and tap my chin, thinking for a moment. I don¡¯t really want to get into details but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m keeping things a secret. It¡¯s more of a hassle to provide proof, to be honest. Maybe the Professor¡¯s word will be enough?

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it short,¡± I say ¡°Since it¡¯s a long story. Much longer than you expect it to be. About one month ago, I was thrown back in time into the Sinnoh of two-hundred years ago, called Hisui back then.¡±

    His eyebrow goes up a tiny bit.

    ¡°There was a situation that needed doing and a powerful Pok¨¦mon decided I was the best choice. I still don¡¯t fully understand why it had to be me but¡­¡± I shrug ¡°I solved the problem and when it was time to go back, things got a bit more complicated. As it turns out, time-travel is a little bit of a strain on your soul. I needed to train a ton in order to survive the return. In the end it took about two decades which I mostly spent doing field research under Professor Laventon. I got back last Wednesday.¡±

    ¡°That is quite unbelievable,¡± the Principal says dryly ¡°So you¡¯re now 35 years old? That would make you a very powerful Trainer with how young you still look.¡±

    Mrs Reed clears her throat.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all. Physically. But I somehow believe you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I changed a ton. Mostly, I got stronger. The not-growing-older was more of a side effect. I¡¯ve been told I will start ageing again, even though much slower than before my little excursion.¡±

    Principal Stark takes a slow sip of coffee, his eyes closed. When he opens them again, he looks straight at me. The me from twenty years ago would have probably squirmed under his stare but it¡¯s nothing compared to Commander Kamado, or the doctors from the Medical Corps. The corner of his mouth twitches upwards when I simply smile back at him.

    ¡°I see. And this experience with Professor Laventon has provided you with skills the Lab values, giving you the chance to become a Lab Trainer.¡±

    ¡°Mostly, yes. I have a complete Pok¨¦dex, with every Pok¨¦mon species that lived in Sinnoh about 200 years ago. That includes those that are no longer found here, either because they hid in the depths of the wilderness or went extinct. That knowledge is a large part of why Professor Rowan offered me the position, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°Then he believes you.¡±

    ¡°He does.¡±

    ¡°Very well. If that¡¯s all there is to it, I can accept it. You might have issues going back to school, at your age. If you still want to study the normal way, we will help you out.¡±

    I laugh softly.

    ¡°Thanks, Principal Stark. My papers still say I¡¯m 15 years old so that part won¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ll see where I¡¯m going after this Circuit season.¡±

    He nods.

    ¡°Then let me welcome you back. I hope these two weeks will be enjoyable for you. And all the best for your Circuit attempt.¡±

    We get up and say goodbye, Mrs Reed leading me back to my classroom. She¡¯s silent for most of the way, thinking about what I said, most likely. Around halfway back, she turns to me.

    ¡°Are you really older than me?¡±

    I snort.

    ¡°Technically, sort of? Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ Like I can just do that. It¡¯s amazing how you just smiled at Principal Stark staring you down like that. The man is a wonderful Principal but he can be really scary sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Most humans can¡¯t compare to an angry Gyarados,¡± I shrug ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of those.¡±

    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have. That¡¯s not something I wish on my students.¡±

    I give her a quick side hug.

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs Reed. But it happened and I dealt with it. No use worrying about it now.¡±

    She smiles softly, her cheeks turning a bit red.

    We walk the rest of the way in silence. My classmates look up when we come in but I just sit down quietly as Mrs Reed picks the lesson back up. She¡¯s talking about the different ways to care for Pok¨¦mon with solid exteriors, be they rocks, carapace, scales, or something else.

    I enjoy listening to her talking and answering questions some of the others have but find the subject itself to be very obvious. There¡¯s nothing new for me to learn about Pok¨¦mon Care and Nutrition, the current subject, unless it¡¯s specific details of a Pok¨¦mon I¡¯m unfamiliar with and we don¡¯t go that far in the lessons. There¡¯s just no enough time to talk about all of them. At least everything she¡¯s saying is correct.

    When the bell rings for our twenty minute break, everyone starts to talk to their seat neighbours. Some people stand up to ask others about something or get some fresh air. Sara looks at me with a hint of confusion, or more at my desk.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t take any notes?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Nah. Not for this. This is easy.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Makes sense, kinda.¡±

    ¡°Does it?¡± Sven asks. He sits in front of me and turned his chair around.

    ¡°Yup. Absolutely does,¡± I grin.

    ¡°Why?¡± he looks puzzled.

    ¡°I learned a lot about Pok¨¦mon while I was gone. Definitely more than I could¡¯ve managed in school.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Then¡­ How would you take care of a Luxio?¡±

    My eyebrow goes up. I share a look with Sara who¡¯s trying really hard not to laugh.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Sven asks.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s see¡­ Luxio is a feline Electric Type. They need a lot of space to move around and exercise, even outside of Training. You should regularly brush their fur, though battling other Pok¨¦mon is a decent substitute and will reduce your workload on that front. Just make sure not to overdo it. Isolating clothes are recommended but not necessary unless the Luxio doesn¡¯t trust you. They can control their electricity pretty well. If they get excited, get some distance or you¡¯ll get shocked. As for food, Luxio like a meat-heavy diet, though berries work great, too. Especially if you can find their favourite one. Anything else you want to know?¡±

    Sven¡¯s mouth stands half open and he rapidly snaps it shut.

    ¡°What about washing? Their claws? Those are important, too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are, but Luxio will do most of that themselves if you give them enough freedom to move around. Somewhere near a body of water, preferably. They love swimming to hunt, and they will scratch trees and rocks to mark their territory. Even those in captivity do that, if you let them.¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t know that. I just bathe mine in the tub and we clip his claws right after.¡±

    I shrug.

    ¡°That works too, of course. The temperament of the Pok¨¦mon plays a big role in what they enjoy.¡±

    ¡°So, you going to try for Lab Trainer, or what?¡±

    ¡°No reason to try. I already am.¡±

    ¡°No fucking way. How did that happen?¡±

    I rub my temples. He¡¯s starting to irritate me a little.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I say.

    ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re going to attempt the Circuit again, too? Wanna go together?¡±

    I snort but Sara manages to speak up before I can.

    ¡°Not a chance, lover boy. We¡¯ve got a girls group already. Find your own company.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Sara, but that was a bit harsh,¡± I smile at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m travelling with Henry and Jane, just thought Zoe might want to join!¡± he protests.

    I sigh and stop listening as Sara gets into an argument with him. Let them go at it, I guess¡­ Not like we¡¯ve got anything better to do between lessons.

    Eventually, the bell rings again and the next teacher comes in. Mr Summers holds his typical dry maths lessons and I¡¯m right back to where I was two decades ago. It feels like nothing changed at all for a full ninety minutes. Granted, I have a little more experience with the subject and don¡¯t have to pay as much attention but that almost makes it worse. Maths was interesting but never my strongest subject. I blame Summers.

    The last block before lunch break is English. Our dear mother tongue. That one, I can sleep through without feeling bad about it at all. I know everything there is to know about writing research reports and won¡¯t need anything else. Probably.

    I still don¡¯t sleep through it. Commander Kamado¡¯s bi-yearly meetings about the future of Jubilife were much worse to sit through, especially since they lasted a full two days.

    After lunch, our class is one of the set that has outdoor lessons. Pok¨¦mon Training, Care, Observation, and Everything-Else-You-Could-Think-Of. Students get to work with the school¡¯s Pok¨¦mon or with their own and learn what it takes to take care of them. Because of that, my friends and I find a place out in the sun to have our food and let out our Pok¨¦mon. I try to find a more secluded place but the pasture is a little crowded so I call over some of the school Pok¨¦mon.

    A small and diverse group closes in with some hesitation. There¡¯s a Machoke leading two Machop, a Chansey, a Graveller, and an Aron. The last of those is of a species I haven¡¯t had any real contact with for 20 years. One immigrant had brought a Lairon with him but I didn¡¯t much talk to them. When the group gets closer, the Chansey calls out happily. She recognizes me.

    ¡°Thanks. Yes, I¡¯m back. I¡¯m doing fine. Can you guys help me out? I need you to warn everyone. I¡¯m letting out my Pok¨¦mon and Lulu is a little¡­ intimidating. I don¡¯t want to freak out the kids. She¡¯s nice but really big. A Luxray.¡±

    ¡°Chan, Chansey!¡± she nods happily. The others share a look before moving out as well. I¡¯ll give them some time to spread the word.

    ¡°Are you really letting her out here?¡± Min asks quietly. I blink at her.

    ¡°Of course. Lulu needs to eat. I¡¯ll keep her close. She can run later when we¡¯re back outside the city.¡±

    ¡°Is it even legal for you to do that? Letting out such a strong Pok¨¦mon in the city?¡±

    I shrug.

    ¡°This is the school pasture. Why wouldn¡¯t I be allowed to let out my Pok¨¦mon to have them eat?¡±

    ¡°Point.¡±

    Sara sighs.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go tell a teacher.¡±

    ¡°Tell them what?¡± Sven asks. Looks like he snuck up on us. Well, not really. We were a little distracted and he probably just walked over. His friends Henry and Jane are with him, too.

    ¡°Zoe has a big Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sara brushes him off and makes her way over to where Mrs Reed is having her own lunch together with her Bibarel and Staraptor. Two Pok¨¦mon you should not underestimate. They¡¯ve got a lot of power, enough to let her get six badges just after she finished High School.

    ¡°You do?¡± Sven makes himself known again ¡°Wanna battle?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Scared of Lupin? Size isn¡¯t everything, you know?¡±

    Mel pulls a face but I just snicker at his language.

    ¡°I¡¯m well aware.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡±

    Henry hits him on the back of his head.

    ¡°Shut up, Sven. You¡¯re making a fool of yourself. Let¡¯s eat, I¡¯m starving.¡±

    The frizzy-haired idiot actually looks embarrassed and quiets down. Pok¨¦ Balls hiss and pop as everyone releases their partners. Henry has a Roselia while Jane is happily cuddling her Teddiursa. The little bear looks almost ready to evolve from the deepening colour of his fur and the shape of his muscles. Sven¡¯s Luxio looks around with interest. The feline is in good condition and curious as any of his species. At least his Trainer is only an idiot when it comes to me.

    As my friends get settled as well and everyone starts to eat, I sit down cross-legged and beckon the Luxio. He walks over obediently after a glance at his Trainer and sniffs my hand. After a moment, he purrs and pushes his muzzle into me. I laugh and start petting his budding mane. He still has a way to go to become a Luxray but he¡¯s made some good progress already. Sven shuffles over and hands me a small batch of Pok¨¦ Chow.

    ¡°That¡¯s Lupin¡¯s lunch,¡± he says ¡°He likes you.¡±

    I take it with a smile and start feeding the eager Pok¨¦mon. After a bit, Sara finally comes back.

    ¡°Mrs Reed says it¡¯s fine,¡± she says as she sits down.

    I nod and get up. Lupin whines a little.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boy. I think you¡¯ll like my buddies.¡±

    My hand fishes out the two Pok¨¦ Balls and Lulu¡¯s Ultra Ball. With a slightly more organic pop and swish sound, my Pok¨¦mon appear next to us. Lulu rears up on her haunches and I slap her nose before she can roar her challenge to the world. The big cat immediately lays down and whines, paws covering her nose. Lili chirps a giggle and Gligar is outright laughing.

    ¡°Come on, girl, I didn¡¯t hit you that hard!¡± I grin.

    ¡°Mrawr!¡± she complains.

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re at school. No need to scare everyone. I told you about that.¡±

    This time she dodges my glare. I start petting the side of her head and she leans into my touch. When I turn back around, I finally notice all the people staring. The Pok¨¦mon recover much more quickly and start demanding to be fed by their Trainers and lunch break quickly returns to normal, but I can still see Mrs Reed and her Pok¨¦mon carefully watching us. Lili walks over to them and I leave her to it.

    The only ones still staring are Henry, Jane, Sven, and their Pok¨¦mon. Lupin is the first to come back to his senses and he practically jumps at Lulu, sliding to a stop just in front of her face and excitedly starting to speak at her.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Henry finally says ¡°That¡¯s a huge Luxray.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely massive,¡± Jane says in awe ¡°I want one!¡±

    Gligar already climbed up my legs to cling to me so I sit down again to cuddle. I take out my own food and a few berries for my Pok¨¦mon and start eating, ignoring the peanut gallery. My friends are giggling to themselves and Min gives me a mischievous smirk.

    It takes a minute before Sven speaks up again.

    ¡°Okay, yeah. I¡¯d probably lose that battle. Where did you find a Luxray like that?¡±

    I glance up from feeding Gligar. He¡¯s cuddled into my lap like a baby and demanding pets.

    ¡°Lulu is from up in the mountains. Coronet Highlands, about¡­ two weeks hike that way.¡±

    I point to the side of the valley a little south from Mount Coronet.

    ¡°I caught her and she decided to stick around.¡±

    Sven stares with an open mouth. His hand stopped halfway in bringing food to it. When Lili twirls her way back to our group and sits down next to us, grabbing an Oran Berry, he reboots.

    ¡°You were on Mount Coronet?¡± he asks ¡°Like, all the way?¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Mrs Reed asks from the side. Her Pok¨¦mon are flanking her, carefully eyeing Lulu.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t catch Lulu there. I found her a day or two south of Coronet.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then. You probably know better than I do how dangerous the wilderness can be. Still, be careful! Especially all of you listening in. Zoe¡¯s Pok¨¦mon are exceptionally powerful. Do not try to emulate her, you will not survive.¡±

    I look around and see a bunch of students mumble and turn away. Mrs Reed turns back to me.

    ¡°And Zoe, while it¡¯s okay to bring more than one of your Pok¨¦mon to school with you, make sure they behave. Especially when they are this powerful.¡±

    She flinches when Lili appears right in front of her. My Pok¨¦mon chirps and pats Mrs Reed¡¯s shoulder encouragingly, making me grin.

    ¡°She¡¯s got me trained pretty well, you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± I say.

    ¡°Right¡­ What even are you?¡±

    Lili chirps and twirls a few times, showing of her Victory Dance in a much slower version.

    ¡°She¡¯s a Liligant variant. Grass Fighting. This one is a bit of a muscle brain.¡±

    My Pok¨¦mon gives me a condescending chirp.

    ¡°Love you too, Lili,¡± I say, making her wave.

    ¡°Um,¡± Henry speaks up ¡°Is that the ¡®special Liligant¡¯ Volkner was talking about?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± Jane says ¡°That¡¯d mean Zoe almost beat Cynthia. Absolutely impossible.¡±

    ¡°Right. Of course.¡±

    My friends just barely suppress their laughter as Lili chirps happily and sits down next to me. Mrs Reed is giving me a knowing look while her Pok¨¦mon suddenly look more wary of Lili than Lulu. The teacher soon leaves us alone and we finish our lunch without further interruptions.

    Our afternoon lesson is once again overlooked by Mrs Reed. The more involved Care lessons are taught by one of the Care and Nutrition teachers in conjunction with the school Chansey. The pink blob is incredibly strict but also very kind. She looks over the Pok¨¦mon brought by the students and points out some things which Mrs Reed then explains again so the humans can understand it.

    When they come to me, Chansey barely glances at Lili and Lulu before fixing her stare on Gligar.

    ¡°Chan, Chansey! Chan! Sey!¡± she starts and he nuzzles into me.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± I say ¡°I found him in the north. He was hungry and scared. It¡¯ll take a bit to get him back on his legs but you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°Chansey?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He lost his family and decided to stick with us. I¡¯ll bring him along every day if you want to help out?¡±

    ¡°Chan!¡± she nods. With a gentle light, a Soft Boiled produces an egg from her belly pouch which she hands over. Gligar looks between it and the pink blob for a moment before timidly reaching out. He quietly thanks her and starts to nibble on it.

    Chansey nods happily and moves on to the next Trainer.

    Once everyone is looked over, Mrs Reed claps her hands.

    ¡°Alright. Looks like you¡¯re all doing quite well. Zoe, I¡¯ll be testing you on battling in a moment, though I don¡¯t doubt you¡¯ll pass. Everyone else, feel free to watch. We¡¯ll get back to working with the school Pok¨¦mon right after.¡±

    Excited murmurs run through the crowd.

    ¡°Come forward, Zoe. Chansey is ready to heal so I¡¯ll be pushing you a little. Machoke, please be our referee.¡±

    The Fighting Type smashes his fists together with a grunt and stands to the side of the field. I walk up on one end with Mrs Reed taking the other.

    ¡°The rules are simple. It¡¯s a 1v1. I pick first. You use your own Pok¨¦mon. We battle until one side gets knocked out or surrenders. You¡¯re not expected to win, I¡¯m simply testing your decision making and your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strength. Everything clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Go, Golem!¡± she shouts and throws a Super Ball on a wide arc. I lands with a pop and hiss, releasing the big Rock and Ground Type on the field. The other students gasp.

    ¡°Principal Stark has given me permission to use Golem for this test. Please keep your distance everyone.¡±

    The crowd takes a few steps back. Golem is Mrs Reed¡¯s ace. The Pok¨¦mon is a sphere of rock with arms and legs protruding from it. A head sticks out from the front. It¡¯s incredibly bulky and just as strong. The biggest weakness would be it¡¯s speed. It¡¯s also more susceptible to energy attacks than physical ones.

    I look over at Mrs Reed. She¡¯s grinning at me. A glance at my Pok¨¦mon shows Lili sitting down and petting Gligar. Lulu is almost vibrating on her haunches. I roll my eyes and wave her over.

    ¡°Go easy on him, okay?¡± I say quietly.

    She complains with a mewl.

    ¡°Do you want it to be over that quickly?¡± I ask.

    She scoffs and jumps into the field, standing tall. Then she roars.

    Everything goes quiet at her challenge. Mrs Reed gulps and even Golem with his Type advantage seems hesitant. Machoke recovers quickly and slams his fists with a shout. The fight begins.

    ¡°Confuse,¡± I say at the same time that Mrs Reed shouts ¡°Bulldoze!¡±

    Golem stomps the ground, sending a wave of Ground Type Energy towards Lulu who quickly jumps to avoid the rocky spikes trying to ram into her. Her Glare is filled with Ghost TE and Golem tumbles on his feet.

    ¡°Play keep away. Snarl,¡± I say and cross my arms.

    ¡°Smack Down into Rollout!¡± Mrs Reed shouts.

    Lulu growls a challenge filled with Dark TE and a black wave blasts across the field. It splashes uselessly against my legs imbued with Dark TE themselves but I can¡¯t say the same for Golem. The Rock Type can¡¯t dodge the Move and simply braces for it while digging one hand into the ground behind him. When it passes, he heaves and throws a blast of Rocks into the air. They curve unnaturally and threaten to ram into Lulu from above but she just blasts off with a Volt Switch to the side, avoiding all of them. Golem is already in his Rollout when he realizes and can¡¯t abort his Move but he still manages to change direction more quickly than I expected.

    For the a little while, Golem chases after Lulu but she simply jumps away, sometimes not even bothering with Volt Switch or Quick Attack. The occasional Snarl keeps slowing the Rock Type Down and I can see Mrs Reed frowning. She meets my eyes and I give her a grin.

    ¡°Want to try tanking her Ice Fang?¡± I ask.

    A rumbling crash draws our eyes back to the battle. Golem is splayed on the ground, having stopped on the spot and Lulu is watching him with a tilted head. He looks at me with a hint of fear in his eyes before turning to my Pok¨¦mon.

    Lulu shows her teeth, slowly channelling Ice TE into them.

    ¡°Fine. If that¡¯s how it is,¡± Mrs Reed says ¡°Earthquake!¡±

    Golem¡¯s Ground TE channels much quicker and he stomps the ground again just as Lulu starts to move. This time, she doesn¡¯t bother jumping. Her feet dance over the shaking earth and the Ground TE makes her stumble a few times but she pushes on. Then she¡¯s on Golem. Lulu¡¯s teeth gleam with the sky-blue of her Ice Fang as she opens her maw. She snaps down right as she rams into the Rock Type. Even with his physical bulk, I can see his rocky body cracking where the Move meets him. He cries out as he¡¯s pushed back. Lulu stands tall, breathing a little heavier than normal. Tanking that Earthquake wasn¡¯t really all that smart but she wanted to show off.

    I look over at Golem. He¡¯s knocked out, lying on his back. It¡¯s good that Lulu pushed him away rather than holding him with the Move. He might have been hurt for real, otherwise.

    ¡°Machoke!¡± our referee shouts, holding up a hand towards me.

    The students break out into excited shouting. I look at Mrs Reed who shakes her head. Chansey is already on the field, fussing over Golem. I walk over to shake her hand.

    ¡°That was even worse than I expected,¡± she says.

    ¡°Does that mean I didn¡¯t pass?¡± I grin.

    ¡°No,¡± she laughs ¡°You passed with flying colours. No way I could ever beat you.¡±

    I smile.

    ¡°I only have two Pok¨¦mon like this. It¡¯s going to be a lot of work to get through the later Gyms.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to your Circuit,¡± she says ¡°Give it your best.¡±

    Chansey is already fussing over Golem and Mrs Reed joins them with some Potion bottles. Lulu proudly struts over to me and nuzzles my chest with her nose. I laugh and start petting her.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a show-off, girl. Not that I can complain.¡±

    She growls happily as I dig out a Potion myself and start applying it to her legs. Her wounds quickly heal and when I look up almost everyone of my classmates is standing as close as they dare, which is still at least three metres away from Lulu¡¯s bulk.

    ¡°That was fucking insane!¡± Sven shouts ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Luxray just straight up tank an Earthquake like that,¡± Jane shakes her head ¡°Where did you hide this monster of a Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Min jumps forward and pulls me into a hug.

    ¡°That¡¯s Zoe for you! She¡¯s got the bestest Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    I lean into her with a grin.

    ¡°Thank you all. It¡¯s been a lot of work to get here.¡±

    That just makes the questions come even faster. I just wave them off an climb onto Lulu¡¯s back who jumps over the crowding students with a small Volt Switch, landing me next to Gligar and Lili. I pick up my little flying scorpion and sit down to wait for the lesson to continue as my classmates begin chatting excitedly once again.

 013 Lesson

    It takes a few minutes before Mrs Reed gets the class back in order, mostly because she¡¯s making sure her Golem is taken care of properly, but finally everyone is sitting or standing ready for the lesson we¡¯re supposed to have.

    ¡°Now that that¡¯s over with¡­¡± our teacher gives me a glare ¡°we can continue with the lesson as planned. Everyone form groups of three or four and find one of the school Pok¨¦mon to join your group. Same thing as every week, you¡¯re gonna stick with this group until Friday so find someone you haven¡¯t worked with yet, if possible. And before everyone asks Zoe to join them this week, she¡¯s gonna stick with me for a battle review before choosing any group she wants to join for this week. Let¡¯s get to it!¡±

    My classmates start to mingle and match, all three of my friends joining a separate group. The trio around Sven also splits up. Looks like all the normal friend groups mix merrily in these lessons, just like I remembered. After all, this pattern is something I told the security corps about to improve their training. Working with many different people and Pok¨¦mon is a wonderful way to prepare for many different situations.

    I join Mrs Reed in a corner of the pasture, her Golem sitting meekly behind her. Lulu lies down next to him and they start talking quietly with Lili sometimes joining in. Mrs Reed smiles at them before turning to me.

    ¡°So, what did you think about the battle?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Lulu was mostly just showing off,¡± I begin, ¡°It wasn¡¯t really a fair match, even with the Type disadvantage. Golem is much faster than many of his species but Smack Down into Rollout is a very risky combo if you don¡¯t have anyone covering for you. You shouldn¡¯t use it unless absolutely necessary. Rock Throw or Sandstorm would have been much better options after seeing how easily Lulu dodged that Bulldoze. Try to find a place for Rock Polish and you might be able to catch her with Rollout down the line. Your best option, in my opinion, was going for a Double Edge. Golem barely feel the recoil, if at all, and it¡¯s a decently fast Move that¡¯s difficult to punish.¡±

    My teacher smacks her lips and glances at her Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Right. I didn¡¯t expect to have my strategy analysed. Normally I want the student to guess how well they¡¯ve done¡­ Still, thank you for the tips. We haven¡¯t gotten Double Edge to the point we¡¯re comfortable using it in battle.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Sorry. Um, yeah. I think we did well enough. I got Lulu to start off with a Confuse Ray after her Intimidation and then play keep away with Snarl to abuse the lower Energy defence of Golem. If necessary we could¡¯ve added a Scary Face after dodging the Smack Down but¡­ yeah. In the end, I just let her show off.¡±

    ¡°Okay. That¡¯s good. Tell me why you didn¡¯t use Liligant.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a muscle brain. She doesn¡¯t like fights that are easy. She would¡¯ve been teaching Golem rather than battling him. And she was busy taking care of Gligar.¡±

    ¡°Right. How long do you think Golem would¡¯ve been able to stand against her?¡±

    ¡°At most two hits. If Lili goes all out, he dies in one.¡±

    ¡°Go¡­¡± the Pok¨¦mon in question gulps and looks at my Grass Type.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Sunny Day into Solar Blade is an incredibly dangerous combination, even more so when boosted by Victory Dance.¡±

    ¡°Zoe¡­ have you killed Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    I meet Mrs Reed¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s looking grim.

    ¡°Yes. In self-defence. It was a different time back then. I¡¯ve never had to after the first five years, though we came close twice. At some point, the Pok¨¦mon started to respect our strength and worked out territories humans would and wouldn¡¯t go to. Pretty sure those are the cities and the main Routes of Sinnoh, nowadays.¡±

    My teacher¡¯s eyes soften a little.

    ¡°I see. You must¡¯ve had it hard. I¡¯m glad you made it back, Zoe.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°In light of your understanding, I can¡¯t see any reason to deduct points. You¡¯ve got a perfect score for your battling exam. I¡¯ll be watching you today especially. Maybe I can find some questions for Care and Nutrition that¡¯ll throw you off.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll have to be something specific to a Pok¨¦mon I haven¡¯t worked with all that much, which excludes 242 species.¡±

    ¡°Huh. How about an oral examination, then? I¡¯ll get some questions together by tomorrow. Maybe we can fit in some more exams with that.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Right. Then get back to it. Find yourself a group and work with them, just like we always do.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ What would that be exactly? I remember faintly, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s really been 20 years for you, hm? We have everyone share their experiences in taking care of their Pok¨¦mon and showing others how to work with them. Then it¡¯s a group effort to work with the school¡¯s Pok¨¦mon of your choice. If you have any questions or problems, Chansey or myself will help you out. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    I turn and let my eyes wander over the groups of students and Pok¨¦mon. There are a good few species here I haven¡¯t done extensive research on. I can get a group with at most two unfamiliar Pok¨¦mon but nowhere will I know everything. Even that one group with the Quilava. He won¡¯t be evolving into the same Pok¨¦mon my Ty was, from what I know. The Ghost-Fire-Type Typhlosion seems to be almost completely unknown. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to find the reason?

    Plus, Jane and her Teddiursa are there. The little bear is staring at me with huge eyes and I give him a smile as I walk over. The other two with her are the boy with the Quilava and a girl with a Pachirisu. The School Pok¨¦mon they¡¯ve chosen is Aron. I am looking forward to working with him as well.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I greet as I get close ¡°Mind if I join?¡±

    Quilava-boy stares at me and flaps his mouth but Jane just rolls her eyes and gives me a grin.

    ¡°Not at all. You know Marv and Anne? We were just getting started talking about our Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Zoe,¡± Anne smiles ¡°Did you really climb Mount Coronet?¡±

    Lulu bumps me from behind and I reach back to rub the side of her nose.

    ¡°Yes. I hope you¡¯re not thinking of going there yourself?¡±

    She snorts.

    ¡°I¡¯m not suicidal. Eight-Badge-Trainers died up there. I heard there¡¯s a huge Thunder of the Gible line.¡±

    ¡°Like that¡¯s true,¡± Jane says ¡°Everyone knows the only place you can find Gible is Wayward Cave.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to catch one?¡± Marv asks.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯d be cool but I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good start with Teddiursa,¡± I say ¡°He¡¯s going to be strong enough to keep a Gible in line if you train him well.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence, Zoe, but everyone knows Ursaring can¡¯t keep up with Garchomp. I need to get a Fairy Type first.¡±

    ¡°Ursaring can¡¯t, sure, but Ursaluna can. You just need to find a Peat Block and wait for a full moon.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s an Ursaluna?¡± Anne asks just as Marv mutters ¡°Ursaring evolves?¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Jane blinks, then stares at Lili who is petting a slightly uncomfortable Aron.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit of a specialist.¡±

    ¡°Is that how you got to be a Lab Trainer?¡± Marv asks.

    I nod. Looks like everyone knows about that tidbit already¡­

    Sitting down, I beckon Aron who happily uses the excuse to get some distance from Lili and trots up to me.

    ¡°So, wanna talk about your Pok¨¦mon first?¡± I ask.

    The others share a glance before shrugging and sitting down as well.

    ¡°I was just talking about Teddi here,¡± Jane begins ¡°I give him a rather heavy diet to build muscle. Lots of meat and carbs, with a Berry whenever I can get one. We¡¯re training a lot to make sure all that food goes into his muscles and stuff. I think he¡¯s close to evolving with all the bulk he¡¯s starting to build recently. I make sure to wash him once a day or let him bathe in a river at least.¡±

    ¡°Urs!¡± the Pok¨¦mon smashes his fists together.

    ¡°Right,¡± Anne says ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in competing and neither is Pachi so we¡¯re just happy to play around, mostly. I give him something hard to nibble on with his big tooth, like hard candy. He¡¯s fine with water but we don¡¯t wash him more than once every two days.¡±

    ¡°Paa¡­¡± the little white-and-teal squirrel pats his Trainer¡¯s leg and gets a quick hug in return. Anne completely ignores the few sparks that fly between her and her Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Anyone that¡¯s not used to electricity should use gloves when touching him. Or if he doesn¡¯t like you. But in that case, it¡¯s better not to touch him at all.¡±

    I smile and glance down at Aron who already fell asleep in my lap. He¡¯s a bit heavy but it¡¯s so cute I don¡¯t even care.

    ¡°It¡¯s my turn, then,¡± Marv says ¡°Quilava is an energetic little rascal. He loves running around and being chaotic.¡±

    ¡°Quil!¡±

    ¡°As for food, I mostly go with a balanced mix of everything. He certainly hasn¡¯t complained.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon in question nods at my look and I give him a smile.

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s all I got. I don¡¯t really need to wash Quilava ¡®cause he just burns all the filth off. I do need to brush him, though. It gets the bigger clumps but if I use too much force I take away all the ash which isn¡¯t good.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Anne looks the Fire Type over ¡°That¡¯s interesting. Come to think of it, yours looks darker than what I¡¯d expect.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Most Quilava don¡¯t really bother but keeping their fur covered in ash makes it easier to activate their flames. It can also help with camouflage.¡±

    ¡°Any weird evolutions you know about for him?¡± Marv asks with a grin.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t really understand how it happens though. There¡¯s definitely a Typhlosion that¡¯s a Ghost-Fire Type. I kinda want to figure out how that happens. The Professor thought it might have something to do with being in or near the Coronet Highlands¡­¡±

    ¡°I was joking!¡± he complained ¡°Do you know a secret evolution for every Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I know like twenty-ish? That aren¡¯t known to Professor Rowan, at least.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still a ton,¡± Jane says with awe in her voice.

    ¡°Well¡­ maybe? I don¡¯t really have a feeling for it¡­ Anyway. Onto my Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    That makes the other three focus and even their Pok¨¦mon sit up a little straighter.

    ¡°So, this is Lulu. She¡¯s a Luxray, what I know as an Alpha. A particularly large specimen usually found deep in the wilderness. She needs a ton of exercise but gets most of it herself if I just let her run. Her favourite Berries are Sitrus Berries, but other than that she mostly eats meat.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s Lili. She¡¯s a Liligant, a Grass-Fighting-Type variant. She¡¯s my strongest Pok¨¦mon and she¡¯s an absolute muscle brain.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon in question chirps in protest.

    ¡°Yet, underneath that is an impossibly soft heart,¡± I add with a grin ¡°She likes Oran Berries but she doesn¡¯t eat much. Most of her sustenance comes from photosynthesis, so she spends a lot of time in the sun. Oh. She also taught me how to fight.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Marv stares.

    ¡°And then there¡¯s Gligar.¡±

    I shift slightly to let him peek out from behind my back a little more.

    ¡°He¡¯s the newest addition and still has a lot of training until he can keep up with the other two but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll get there. He also likes Oran Berries, but won¡¯t say no to pretty much anything as long as it¡¯s food.¡±

    ¡°Gli¡­¡± he waves shyly.

    ¡°As for cleaning, Lili takes showers or baths on her own, so does Lulu most of the time. I tend to help them out if needed. Gligar needs a little more care since his carapace often collects dirt in the joints which I remove with a soft brush. Some natural fat to protect it and that¡¯s just about it.¡±

    I look down at Aron. He¡¯s completely fallen asleep for some reason. I carefully poke his metallic shell. It¡¯s hard and a little cool to the touch but he doesn¡¯t react.

    ¡°And then we have this little fella,¡± I say ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Aron is a Steel-Rock-Type. He¡¯ll probably need a diet of rocks and ores for the most part. He should be okay with water but I wouldn¡¯t use more than a wet rug to clean him. Rubbing him down with sand might be a better option¡­ As for exercise, he probably doesn¡¯t need much but it would do him good.¡±

    I grab the Pok¨¦mon and lift. He¡¯s quite heavy for his size but nothing I can¡¯t handle. His underside is a dull metallic dark grey but it almost feels more like stone. Aron shifts in my hands and yawns. I take a quick glance in his mouth and see the typical sturdy spiky teeth of Rock and Steel Types that eat primarily stone or ore. There is some slight chipping on them. He probably needs a more iron-rich diet.

    Aron turns his head to look at me and I meet his eyes.

    ¡°Good morning, little guy. Sleep well?¡±

    He glares and I feel the ground shift. With a loud crack, a bunch of rocks rise slowly. I carefully keep an eye on Aron while channelling some Steel-Type Energy. He humphs and slams the Rock Tomb into me. The others cry out a warning but it¡¯s too late. I shift my arms and break the rocks holding me down with a bit of Fighting TE and some effort. That makes Aron blink and I quickly set him down.

    ¡°Are you alright, Zoe?¡± Jane asks with a waver in her voice.

    ¡°No problem here. Sorry for scaring you, little guy.¡±

    I make sure to dissipate the Fighting TE before reaching into my pack for some iron ore and holding it out to him.

    ¡°Here. Have some of this.¡±

    Aron watches me for a moment before carefully sniffing the ore. Then he snags it with his mouth and retreats a few steps to chow down at a safe distance.

    ¡°Gli¡­¡± comes from behind me.

    ¡°Did you get out in time?¡± I ask Gligar.

    He nods as his eyes rove all over my body, looking for injuries.

    Marv clears his throat.

    ¡°Zoe? What just happened?¡±

    ¡°I annoyed Aron so he attacked me. Stuff like that isn¡¯t uncommon with wild Pok¨¦mon. He was taking it slow at first so I could react but when he realized I could take it, he just shot off his Rock Tomb.¡±

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Anne asks.

    ¡°No,¡± I laugh ¡°Thank you for worrying but I barely even felt it. He was very gentle.¡±

    Aron groans. It¡¯s a sound almost like gargling rocks.

    ¡°Everything fine here?¡± a voice comes from the side.

    ¡°Mrs Reed. Yes. Nothing happened. Aron just got a little upset but I gave him some ore to calm him down.¡±

    ¡°I see. Good. If you need anything, just ask.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ he¡¯s not had enough iron in his diet, I think. Not by much but his teeth are starting to chip.¡±

    ¡°Are they? Come here, Aron. Let me take a look.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon obediently trundles over and lets himself be picked up. Mrs Reed pokes and prods him a few times before nodding.

    ¡°Astute observation, Zoe. I didn¡¯t even notice. You need to tell us when something¡¯s wrong, Aron. Even if it¡¯s annoying, we will figure out how to help you.¡±

    He groans again, but eventually gives a nod.

    ¡°Good. Then get back to it, kids.¡±

    Jane rolls her eyes at Mrs Reed¡¯s retreating back while Aron carefully trundles up to my side. He looks at me for a minute before deciding to close the last of the distance and starting to poke my satchel.

    ¡°Want some more ore, do you?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Aron.¡±

    ¡°Alright, here you go.¡±

    I fish up another two pieces of ore just a little smaller than his head and lay them out. He starts happily chomping down.

    ¡°You really know a lot about Pok¨¦mon,¡± Anne comments.

    I wave my hand.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of standard knowledge that applies to most Pok¨¦mon of similar Types and bodies. Aron here has a lot in common with Steelix and even the Rhyhorn and Geodude lines. They have similar needs and live in similar environments so if you know about one, you¡¯ll be able to apply that knowledge to the others.¡±

    ¡°Ron!¡± Aron complains.

    ¡°Of course, there will always be differences. Like Rhyhorn having a flesh-and-blood body covered in rock while Geodude is almost purely stone. But the gist of it is the same.¡±

    ¡°Which is why many Trainers specialize in a single Type to be successful,¡± Jane nods, ¡°But that¡¯s boring.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about specializing¡­ I had plenty of time to learn about all kinds of Pok¨¦mon. Some people are just lazy.¡±

    ¡°I dunno¡­¡± Anne says, ¡°Lazy is fine by me.¡±

    I shrug.

    ¡°To each their own. Wanna brush Lulu?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± her eyes light up, ¡°Can I?¡±

    My Pok¨¦mon lays down and gives her a nod.

    ¡°You¡¯re familiar with Electric Types so it should be fine,¡± I say, ¡°Hold on, let me just¡­¡±

    I dig in my satchel until I find my brush. It¡¯s made from a few layers of pearl holding thick Arcanine bristles. The rocky hair is great at getting dirt out of large Pok¨¦mon¡¯s fur.

    ¡°Here, use this.¡±

    ¡°Oohh! What a pretty brush!¡± Anne grins as she steps up to Lulu.

    I leave them to it while I turn to Marv.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to take a look at Quilava, if that¡¯s okay?¡± I ask.

    He shrugs and pats his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head. It doesn¡¯t hesitate and zips over to me.

    ¡°That means I get Pachirisu and you get Teddi,¡± Jane tells him, ¡°Let¡¯s get to it!¡±

    ¡°Ursa!¡± Teddiursa pumps his fist. Marv gives him a careful glance as I turn to Quilava who is almost vibrating next to me.

    ¡°Gligar, you stick with Lili and Aron for now, okay?¡±

    He nods and I¡¯m left to look at the Fire Type more closely. Rather than trying to hold him down, I get up and start jogging.

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s move around,¡± I call and he follows me with a yip. I keep a relaxed stride while Quilava zips circles around me. He runs into other Pok¨¦mon or students now and then but I warn him with a whistle whenever he¡¯s about to hit someone and he quickly learns to look where he¡¯s going when I do.

    We run a full three rounds around the pasture before Quilava starts to slow down. I decide to push him a little more.

    ¡°Come, stick with me now,¡± I say and accelerate.

    He takes a moment to line up and then we¡¯re running side by side, slowly getting faster. At the end of the fourth lap, I pull into a final sprint and pull a full five steps ahead before slowing down. Quilava jumps at my back with a cry and I turn around and catch him. It only takes a moment and he¡¯s settled in my arms, panting heavily. His eyes are half-closed as he¡¯s trying to catch his breath while I carry him over to the little pond area.

    ¡°That was some good exercise,¡± I say when he¡¯s paying attention to me again, ¡°Did you have fun?¡±

    He looks puzzled for a moment before giving me a quick nuzzle.

    ¡°Quil!¡± he says, ¡°Quilava.¡±

    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s get a moment of rest.¡±

    I sit down a few steps from the pond, a good bit away from any of the other students, and pull out a water flask, letting him down. He puts his head on my leg as I start to let him drink. Even though they¡¯re Fire Type, Quilava still need water. Their body mostly has a normal biology. I let my eyes run over him, following the defined lines of his muscles as he¡¯s drinking. He looks to be very healthy and well-developed. I can¡¯t really see any differences to my own Ty when he still was a Quilava. Or any of the others that evolved into the Ghost Type variant. Even back then, Professor Laventon was confused how the divergent evolutions happened. Other than the hypothesis of environmental factors we never had anything that made any real sense.

    Quilava has sated his thirst and looks back up at me. I give him a pat on the head and pull out an Oran Berry and a knife from my satchel. His eyes quickly snap to it. I start cutting off small pieces from it and feeding them to him, occasionally eating some myself. The sweet taste is great after a bit of exercise.

    Seeing him eat lets me get a better look at his face, especially his mouth. I don¡¯t see any issues there, either. He¡¯s as good in shape as any Quilava should be. His teeth and gums are healthy with normal signs of use and he doesn¡¯t have a dry mouth caused by a lack of water.

    It doesn¡¯t take long and he¡¯s relaxed enough to start looking around. I put away the flask and knife and stand up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do some control exercises,¡± I say and he tilts his head.

    ¡°I want you to feel for your Fire TE. Go for an Ember but don¡¯t shoot it. Just let the energy cycle through your body. Here, I¡¯ll demonstrate.¡±

    I shift into a loose stance, feet apart and knees lowered and start moving. My arms push forward, then pull back. I take a half-step while turning and make a half-circle with my hands. A small bit of Fire TE flows through my limbs and a flame flickers to life between my fingertips. When I push my arms forward again, the flame follows lazily, only to revert course when I pull my hands in again. I glance down at Quilava who is nodding to himself and starting to move. It takes him a little to find a rhythm but when he does, I slow down my own movements and let the Ember sputter out.

    Quilava turns and steps around me in a slow dance, guiding his Ember more with his snout than his hands. It moves a little harshly, instead of the lazy and relaxed form that shows full control of the Move. I simply keep watching while letting my Fire TE run out naturally. The few sparks flying from my fingertips soon follow along Quilava¡¯s Ember and I exert my control over them to challenge his control of the move. Not by much, but enough that he has to pay a little more attention to the flame.

    It takes a few minutes before his Move fizzles out and he snaps back to the present. I squat down and rub the side of his head, getting some ash on my fingers.

    ¡°That was good,¡± I say, ¡°For a first attempt.¡±

    ¡°Quil!¡± he complains.

    ¡°Yup. If you have to think about it, you¡¯ll learn more quickly. That¡¯s why I contested control over your Ember. You were just letting it fly where it wanted to go. You need to tell it where it wants to go. That¡¯s how you make a Move truly yours.¡±

    He tilts his head.

    ¡°Quilava?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I giggle, ¡°But the environment will make a move act a specific way. For example, Water Moves often like to flow downhill. A Water Type has to tell the Move where to go instead. Fire Moves want to have fuel to burn, so they latch onto flammable things like wood and paper, and if they can¡¯t find any, they go to where the air is freshest. I think it has something to do with oxygen? Could be wrong, though¡­¡±

    The Fire Type nods thoughtfully and turns to the pond. He rears up a little and I lean back just in time to avoid the blast of fire from his back. A much larger Ember forms in front of his snout and he shoots it off with a ¡°Quil!¡±. We watch it impact the water and go a hand width below the surface before being snuffed out.

    I smile.

    ¡°Just like that. Your Move ran out of energy, there. Something stronger will more easily go through water. But if the water is made or even just controlled by a Water Type, you¡¯ll have a much harder time pushing through, so be careful with that.¡±

    ¡°Quil, quilava,¡± he says and I laugh.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably smart. Want to get back to the others?¡±

    He scoffs and shakes his head.

    ¡°Quil!¡±

    He turns back to the water, blasting another Ember into it with enthusiasm. This time it goes a little further. I grin and sit down next to him as he practices. Whenever he has problems, I give him some tips which he happily absorbs. We barely even notice the passage of time as my first school day in over two decades reaches its end.

 014 Open Season

    I run the comb through Lulu¡¯s fur, gently coaxing out the clumps of dirt and dust. Occasionally, I have to pick at a rock with my fingers so it doesn¡¯t break the comb¡¯s teeth. It¡¯s a sturdy tool for Pok¨¦mon with tough fur but even so I¡¯m careful. It¡¯ll last much longer if I do.

    A few metres over, Lili is pushing my human friends through some exercises. Even just these two weeks of keeping up almost daily have helped them a lot. They¡¯ll soon be ready to start with the real training. I smile at Min¡¯s puffy face and she gives me a glare but keeps up her sit-ups without complaint.

    A claw reaches around my shoulder and picks the rock I almost combed through. I reach up to pat Gligar who is clinging to my back.

    ¡°Thanks, buddy,¡± I say.

    ¡°Gli!¡± he nods and crunches the rock between his pincers. He¡¯s gotten a lot stronger with a proper diet and training regime. He still has a long way to go but I might be able to use him for some battles with mid-level Trainers soon. He¡¯s managed to get Fury Cutter down fully and started working on Acrobatics. I want to teach him Bulldoze soon, as well. A good Ground Move would help him a lot.

    I pat down the last bits of fur and put away the comb before starting to scratch Lulu behind her ear. She rumbles pleasantly and turns her head to let me better reach the perfect spot. Just seconds later, her tongue is lolling out of her panting mouth. I laugh and give her a kiss on the side of her head.

    ¡°You¡¯re all cleaned up now, girl,¡± I say ¡°Let¡¯s get to the others. It¡¯s time to go back.¡±

    She growls in disappointment at the sudden lack of scritches but still gets up and starts trotting over to the others.

    ¡°Guys? We¡¯re done for the day!¡± I call out and my friends collapse with cries of freedom. Lili chirps happily in encouragement and I nod.

    ¡°Yup, you all did good. Soon, we can start the real training!¡±

    Min¡¯s groan and Sara¡¯s glare only make my grin widen. Mel just rolls her eyes. She¡¯s taken the best to the exercises. Probably because she always stayed in shape for her contests.

    We take a few minutes break to let everyone rest before starting on our way back to Oreburgh. Today we used a spot to the North-East of the city, close to the mountainside. Not many Trainers come here because it¡¯s a bit out of the way so we can use the space however we want. The slightly longer trip is totally worth it. I half-considered using one of the weekends to make a quick trip up to the Coronet Highlands and see how the populations moved or changed but training Gligar took priority in the end. As well as preparing for the Gym Battle with Roark.

    I have to admit I¡¯m a bit nervous about how I¡¯ll do. Lili is going to have a strong match-up but Lulu will have to rely mostly on Ice Fang and her Dark-Type Moves. We¡¯ll need to go back to slower strategies like Confuse Ray and other Status Moves just to stand a chance. And with Roark already aware of my two battlers, he¡¯ll know what to prepare for.

    I¡¯m not sure that it¡¯s a good idea to use the first Gym battle as a test of how strong my team is compared to modern competitive battlers. That said, after reading up a little I know Cynthia to be on the more extreme end of Champions. Most other regions have far smaller gaps between the best and the very top. Only Hoenn¡¯s Steven Stone is apparently just as dominant. And there are some rumours about an ¡®undefeated¡¯ Champion in the secluded Galar but that¡¯s probably overblown.

    However it goes, I expect to have a decent chance in a 2v6 versus Roark. On a good day, Cynthia¡¯s Roserade and Milotic can beat him on their own and those aren¡¯t her strongest two. Still, I¡¯m a little nervous. There¡¯ll be a lot of scrutiny on me and while I personally could just move through the wilderness, I don¡¯t want to leave my friends alone on their trip. I just got back here, after all!

    A pinch on my ear shakes me out of my thoughts. I flinch back a little from Gligar¡¯s claw and turn to face him.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    He just points ahead. At the northern checkpoint leading into Oreburgh.

    ¡°You got a bit lost there, Zoe?¡± Mel grins, ¡°Too busy planning your battle?¡±

    I snort.

    ¡°Something like that, yeah. Let¡¯s go?¡±

    ¡°Only waiting on you, girl!¡± Min laughs and throws an arm around my shoulders. I grumble good-naturedly and pull out my Trainer ID to show to the Rangers guarding the city.

    Half an hour later, we reach the Oreburgh Gym. It¡¯s incredibly crowded with Trainers, though not a single one is on their first circuit. Every first-timer begins in Jubilife, no matter what. Even Mum travelled there. The reason for that is simple. The Pok¨¦mon League has set up Jubilife as the starting point and Cynthia is going to hold the opening ceremony from there. As a city without a Gym but with three feasible paths to cities with Gyms, the huge crowd of first-timers spreads out much better than in most other places. Though the largest part will still tackle Oreburgh first, there are always people that prefer to trek across all of Sinnoh to build a team first, which also helps with spreading everyone out.

    Repeaters, like me and my friends, usually don¡¯t bother with the crowd and start in their home towns. That way, you don¡¯t end up stuck on a Gym far from home without getting a single badge. Still, everyone watches the opening ceremony which is streamed on large screens set up on the battlefields, which is why everyone that starts in Oreburgh this season is at the Gym today.

    We push our way through the crowd until I spot Roark talking to some other Trainers at the edge of the battlefield. Officially, you can only schedule Gym battles once the opening ceremony is over but today after the ceremony, the half-day of battling, is first come, first served.

    ¡°Do you really wanna go today?¡± Min asks for the umpteenth time.

    I give her a grin.

    ¡°Depending on how easy this ends up being, I might push for a speed run.¡±

    She rolls her eyes.

    ¡°Fine. I got 50 bucks on you losing at least once to a Gym Leader,¡± she laughs.

    I join in.

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll get paid out today.¡±

    We reach Roark and I recognize the guy next to him as he turns around. It¡¯s Lucas, the Lab Trainer and Rei¡¯s descendant.

    ¡°Hey, Lucas, Roark,¡± I greet them, ¡°How¡¯s things?¡±

    ¡°Zoe!¡± the boy grins, ¡°Looking to get one of the day-one-battles? Tough luck. This guy says he¡¯s booked out already.¡±

    The Gym Leader laughs.

    ¡°I am, in a way. With Zoe¡¯s battle, I don¡¯t want to plan anything else.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Lucas turns.

    I raise my eyebrows.

    ¡°And what if I didn¡¯t plan on fighting you day one?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯d start taking challenges as soon as I knew.¡±

    ¡°Alright. When do you wanna start?¡±

    ¡°Right after the ceremony?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡±

    ¡°Do you plan to battle all afternoon?¡± Lucas asks.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m using my personal team and I want to save the time I might need to take care of the after.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Lucas turns to me, ¡°Ooh. Yeah, that makes sense. So is it gonna be a 2v2?¡±

    ¡°6v6,¡± Roark says, ¡°Technically.¡±

    ¡°Zoe is a monster!¡± Min grins next to me.

    ¡°So, yeah. I might take a few more challengers tomorrow but I don¡¯t want to promise anything.¡±

    Lucas nods.

    ¡°Do you really think you¡¯ll win with two Pok¨¦mon?¡± he asks.

    I wave my hand.

    ¡°Maybe? If I knew his exact team and how he battles, definitely. But, well¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, what?¡± Roark asks, his eyes narrowing.

    ¡°I have three battlers on my side that can feasibly go into the arena.¡±

    Lucas groans.

    ¡°That¡¯d be a complete mess,¡± he says, ¡°And a complete stomp.¡±

    I blink.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the friend you introduced to me, right?¡±

    ¡°No, no. Mes isn¡¯t gonna battle in the circuit. She¡¯ll be watching, though.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then? Who is it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see, if it¡¯s needed. There¡¯s a good chance it won¡¯t.¡±

    I bare my teeth at Roark and he flinches back just a little bit.

    ¡°As I said,¡± Min laughs, ¡°Zoe. Is. A. Monster.¡±

    Lucas shakes his head at our antics as we giggle to our hearts¡¯ content. I keep an eye on Roark and am very happy to see that I unsettled him with the mention of a third battler. Technically, I could probably convince Mes or Giratina to take a spot in my team, but I have other plans. I want to treat this journey with some seriousness and not just slack off and win for free. Which is why Lili helped me improve my Fighting-Type techniques over the last two weeks. Between that, and my previous skills with Psychic, and Electric Moves, I won¡¯t have any Type that I can¡¯t hit, as well as a good split between physical Moves and energy Moves. Of course, I¡¯m focusing on keeping my distance so that I can dodge.

    I turn to the big screen hanging over the battlefield as the crowd starts to quiet. Someone turns up the speakers. Gina Ritlock is just closing up a segment about the Circuit¡¯s history. She¡¯s standing in a studio and behind her on a screen the big stage in Jubilife is shown live. A countdown is ticking down the last thirty seconds before the opening ceremony.

    The Elite Four is standing in a half circle to the back. Banners with emblems of their favoured Types hang behind them. Aaron and the light-green Bug-Type. Bertha and her sand-coloured Ground-Type. Flint and the blazing orange of Fire-Type. And last but not least, Lucian and his deep-pink Psychic-Type.

    The image switches to show the last ten seconds of the countdown on full-screen, a thrumming base-beat accompanying every tick. I hear the crowd chant the numbers and join in with a grin. Min is pumping her fist slightly off rhythm. On zero, everyone erupts into roaring applause as a triumphant melody begins to play and a camera captures Cynthia dropping in from the sky on her Togekiss. It¡¯s perfectly timed so that Ryu, her Garchomp, releases with a majestic roar just as the melody ends and the crowd erupts again.

    I almost forgot how exhilarating the Circuit opening was.

    Cynthia waves as the applause dies down. She has a gentle smile on her face, like a patient mother in a crowd of rowdy kids. When she starts speaking, I briefly wonder where the microphone is but shake my head to focus on her words.

    ¡°Welcome, Sinnoh, once more!¡± she says as her eyes sweep the crowd, ¡°It¡¯s time for another season of the Competitive Gym Circuit!¡±

    Cheers break out and she waves down the crowd.

    ¡°Now, now. Calm down a little.¡±

    I hear someone chuckling nearby.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re all excited but the battles won¡¯t begin until tomorrow so there¡¯s no need to rush. In fact, rushing into the Circuit is never a good idea. It will only lead to disappointment and disaster. And if you¡¯re one of those ¡®speedrunners¡¯, I only hope you¡¯ve done your preparations.

    ¡°Sinnoh is a harsh land. We have steep mountains, deep swamps, a nearly endless blizzard, rough cliffs and rougher seas. Anyone that wants to travel our region, even within the safety of the routes, should know what you¡¯re getting into. Some of you are professional Trainers and compete in every season. I am not worried about you. Some of you are going for your second or third attempt. I am a little worried about you. Don¡¯t underestimate the journey just because you¡¯ve been there once.¡±

    Min is nodded excitedly by my side.

    ¡°Those of you that are on your first journey, make use of the League-provided resources. Pok¨¦mon centres are your life elixir. Ask experienced Trainers if you don¡¯t know how to proceed. Make use of the online forums. And don¡¯t hesitate to contact the Rangers if you or someone else is in danger.¡±

    Her eyes roam the crowd with a steely gaze. Ryu and Togekiss follow her example. It¡¯s an intimidating display, even if you aren¡¯t fully aware of the threat these two Pok¨¦mon represent. I¡¯m amazed at how quiet the crowded battleground is.

    The tension breaks when Cynthia smirks and returns to her speech.

    ¡°Trainers of Sinnoh. No matter how far you want to push, no matter how far you will get, know that I am proud of you. Everyone that strives to improve themselves is worthy of admiration. We are a powerful region, not despite this harsh land but because of it. We strive for strength, everyone in their own way. We struggle to achieve our goals, and we fail, we fall. But we always get back up to climb once again.

    ¡°Mount Coronet is not just the centre of Sinnoh, it is the centre of our people, of our culture. We pursue strength, not for the summit, but for the climb. We scale treacherous paths, dive through dark caves, cross rough waters, push through danger, and break our limits. And nobody will stand in our way!¡±

    The crowd explodes once again. Somehow, her speech reminds me a bit of Commander Kamado just before we climbed to the temple of Sinnoh. Back then, we were planning to fight gods. The same spirit is still here in Cynthia¡¯s words. Now, though, the gods we fight are but people. Even if Cynthia and the Elite Four are a near impossible challenge for most Trainers.

    ¡°What are you snickering at?¡± Lucas asks with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I wave him off as the noise dies down. Cynthia is grinning widely now.

    ¡°It is time!¡± she raises her fist to more shouts, ¡°Challengers of the Gym Circuit, I wish you all the best on your Journey. May the ninety-second Sinnoh Gym Circuit¡­ begin!¡±

    This time, the noise is nearly unbearable. I barely notice a magenta-coloured pop in front of me before a small bundle dives under my shirt. I wrap my arms around Mes as she shoves her head out of my collar.

    ¡°Happy!¡± she chimes into my mind.

    I nod. My lips are stretched into a huge grin. This is why Sinnoh is known for the strength of its Trainers. Because we love a good battle. And we also love a good fight.

    From the corner of my eye, I notice Lucas and Roark flinch back a tiny bit. Maybe my grin was a bit too¡­ vicious right there. I school my expression and start petting Mes. The smile doesn¡¯t want to leave my face, though.

    ¡°Well, time to schedule my first match,¡± Min says as she disentangles her arm from my side.

    ¡°Right,¡± I nod, ¡°I should get started, too.¡±

    I take out my Arc-Phone and open the League-App used for everything related to the Circuit. Signing up for battles, making bets when on the road, a map function for the Routes and to find Pok¨¦mon Centres¡­ it¡¯s pretty useful. Almost as good as the map of Hisui Arceus had given me when I was brought back in time.

    Since I already have a match with Roark in just a bit I click on the second Gym, Gardenia¡¯s in Eterna City. Instead of a ¡®schedule battle¡¯ button I find a confirmed match tomorrow for eight a.m. I quickly check the others, and sure enough, I have one match per day with every Gym for the next week, each of them at eight in the morning. That¡¯s¡­ interesting. Did the League set this up because the Leaders are excited to battle the Trainer that can match Cynthia? Or did something else happen.

    ¡°Action!¡± Mes giggles and bumps a fist inside my shirt.

    ¡°Stop stretching my shirt,¡± I push her hand down.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Before I can try to figure out what happened, a text message pops up. From none other than Arceus. I open it and start laughing.

    ¡®I took the liberty to set your battles. I believe in you, friend.¡¯ it reads.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Min asks.

    ¡°I got my battles scheduled already. Had a little help,¡± I grin.

    ¡°Oh, nice. You have a Rotom in there?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± I shake my head, ¡°When¡¯s your battle?¡±

    ¡°Still waiting for confirmation¡­ Ah! In ten days. That¡¯s pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Nice. I¡¯ll be going through every Gym over the next week. If I fail one, I¡¯ll take some time to prepare and get back to it later.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re really doing a speedrun?¡± Lucas asks, ¡°How are you getting through the cities?¡±

    ¡°Mes,¡± I say and the little bundle wiggles happily.

    ¡°Fair,¡± he nods.

    ¡°So¡­ are we going to travel together?¡± Min asks.

    ¡°Yep. I promised, didn¡¯t I? I was planning to just get whatever timeslot I could and then Teleport there but if I can get my first cycle of attempts done in a week, I¡¯ll be able to stick with you for the full trip.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Now you just have to lose one of eight battles and I¡¯ll make a killing!¡±

    I laugh.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get much better odds if you bet for me.¡±

    ¡°Meh,¡± she waves me off, ¡°I bet what I want to.¡±

    I look around and wave at Mel and Sara who drifted off a little through the crowd. I didn¡¯t even notice. With the opening ceremony over, everyone is starting to move, mostly trying to leave the battlefield. A bunch of people already found seats in the stands and more are pressing up there, trying to watch Roark¡¯s first matches of the season. A bunch of Trainers are making their way over to the Gym leader, though he¡¯s already making his way over to his end of the field. Mes slips out of my shirt and points at a spot a little off to the side on the stands.

    ¡°Seats!¡± she sends to my mind.

    ¡°Right. Min, up there. You guys should be able to sit without issues. Take Gligar with you, he¡¯ll want to see my match.¡±

    My friend nods as she takes my Pok¨¦ Ball before making her way to the other two, Mes floating behind her. I lazily slip through the clearing crowd towards my end of the field, rolling Lili¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball between my fingers. If possible, I want her to sweep today. The faster we can finish the match, the more time we have to plan for tomorrow. The most important part, though, is to keep as many Moves as possible secret.

    When I take position in the challenger¡¯s box, Pok¨¦ Ball in hand, the first Trainers start to notice. A few of them glance at Roark but he only has eyes for me. I¡¯d say I was charmed if they weren¡¯t the eyes of someone trying to survive the attack of a rampaging Alpha Pok¨¦mon.

    It only takes a good minute after that for the battlefield to clear out and the crowd to go quiet. Two Alakazam stand ready to create barriers, one on each side of the stands. I glance over at Mes who gives me a nod.

    ¡°Protect!¡± she sends and I smile.

    My eyes return to Roark when he begins to speak.

    ¡°Challenger Zoe,¡± he says, ¡°I am honoured to be your first opponent this Season. This will be a six on six match, Elite Rules. One carried item per Pok¨¦mon, no duplicates. The Challenger is the first to release their Pok¨¦mon. One switch per two minutes. I will be using my personal Pok¨¦mon. Do you agree to these rules?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s do this.¡±

    I stand ready and throw my Pok¨¦ Ball. With a pop and hiss, Lili appears in a pirouette, already getting her first Victory Dance in. The Fire Type Energy for her Sunny day is ready to be released at a moment¡¯s notice.

    On the other side of the field, Roark nods grimly and releases his own Pok¨¦mon. The red beam resolves into a winged shape with a wide maw and moments later, Aerodactyl roars his defiance to the ceiling.

    The cries of the crowd soar past my ears, present but ignored, as the referee lifts the flag in his right hand.

    ¡°Both Trainers are ready,¡± he calls out, ¡°Begin in three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­ Go!¡±

    Immediately, Lili¡¯s Sunny Day shoots upwards and lights up the field. Lili moves into another twirl as the sunlight invigorates her to build up more power with a second Victory Dance. Aerodactyl is already on the move, flying high and building up a small storm of rocks around itself while starting to build up some Water TE. Can Aerodactyl learn Rain Dance? He wouldn¡¯t need Water TE for any other move I can think of.

    We¡¯re quite happy with just building up more power, for now, so Lili keeps twirling as the first rocks start shooting at her like bullets in a Rock Tomb. She never stops moving and easily sidesteps the projectiles which impact the barrier right in front of my face. Luckily, I don¡¯t need to see.

    There¡¯s a sudden crash followed by another five before a loud cry meets my ears and when the dust clears, Lili is standing on the other side of the battlefield. Aerodactyl is scurrying on the ground a few steps away from her but she quickly goes into an Ice Spinner and finishes the job. One down, five to go.

    I barely pay attention to the referee as Roark recalls his downed Pok¨¦mon and brings out the next one with a shake of his head. This one is once again unfamiliar to me. A thick body covered in teal plates stands on short but strong legs. It¡¯s arms end in dangerous shears and the head has two large eyes standing off to the side where I would expect ears to be. Another fossil Pok¨¦mon, Armaldo.

    Lili is standing ready and moves as soon as the referee calls for the battle to continue. This time, she channels Fighting TE into both a Low Sweep and Brick Break, hiding which one will connect first. It doesn¡¯t end up mattering since they both impact a Protect that comes up just in time. I nod when she jumps back immediately to avoid the retaliatory X-Scissor. That one would¡¯ve hurt. She tries her double-hit a second time, delaying the Moves a little more but the Protect holds just long enough. It still makes Armaldo step back while slashing another Bug Move at her retreating form.

    I grin when Roark speaks up for the first time.

    ¡°Keep it up, just like we practised! Just one hit is all we need!¡±

    Armaldo nods and squares its shoulders. Lili answers with a chirp and another twirl, making her opponent scowl. Looks like Roark can¡¯t tell these are Victory Dance, or he would¡¯ve pushed for more aggression.

    The next time Lili charges, she simply steps past Armaldo, ignoring the Protect. When the shield inevitably falls, she kicks twice in two Low Sweeps and the fossil Pok¨¦mon cries out in pain. A slight shift of her balance gets her away from the retaliatory X-Scissor and one final Brick Break finishes the fight.

    I glance at the crowd and see a lot of people murmuring and pointing. My friends are some of the only people just enjoying the match, though Gligar seems oddly intimidated. I give him a wave and he perks up before I have to return my attention to the fight.

    In front of Roark floats a Pok¨¦mon that I know quite well. A large body made of blue-ish rock with a huge red nose and a red hat are wrapped around a black magnetic core. Where it peeks out from the rock, Probopass has its eyes just between hat and nose. Three smaller rocks with a nose-like shape are attached to its body. She can detach them and freely move the around with her magnetic abilities. This allows her to attack rapidly even if her main body is somewhat slow to move.

    Lili squares up and trills a greeting which Probopass answers with a rumble. From Pok¨¦mon that are neutral to Fighting Type Moves to one that is doubly weak¡­ That probably means the first two were more to test the waters. From now on, its the real thing.

    ¡°Go!¡± Roark calls and throws his hand forward.

    The three drones detach from Probopass¡¯s body and shoot out in three arcs. They¡¯re charging three different TEs at the same time, Electric, Fire, and Ice. It could be a Tri Attack but they¡¯re too disparate for that. It¡¯s probably the three elemental punches, though the Electric one could be a Thunder Wave as well.

    The main body is mostly channelling Normal TE, so there¡¯s gonna be another Protect.

    ¡°Get in close, slowly,¡± I say and Lili jumps forwards.

    ¡®Slow¡¯ for her is still much faster than the three drones can turn and Probopass sends them around in a large loop while turning to keep an eye on Lili. My Pok¨¦mon goes with a simple Leaf Blade and smacks it into the Protect. She bounces off to the side, letting the Ice Punch drone slam into its controller, who shakes it off without issues. The follow-up Brick Break cracks the rocky body, though.

    Probopass takes the momentum and levitates a few metres to gain some distance while the Fire Punch drone zips just past Lili. The third drone follows up just into the space she dodged to and slams into her, discharging its Electric TE into a Thunder Wave. Just as I thought.

    ¡°NOW!¡± Roark shouts.

    I look at our opponent and see Probopass charging up Rock TE into what can only be a Sandstorm. Nothing else would encompass the whole Arena so evenly. I smirk as the paralysis rolls of Lili¡¯s leaves without affecting her.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough playing, don¡¯t you think?¡± I ask.

    Lili chirps and blasts forward in a Trailblaze. Her foot taps the ground and she spins into a front flip, ramming heel first into Probopass with an Axe Kick. The red hat cracks from the force but the ground turns out to be the weakest link as a huge cloud of dust and rubble shoots out from the impact.

    I hear the crowd gasp and when the cloud clears, the referee calls out.

    ¡°Probopass is down, Leader Roark, please choose your fourth Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Halfway there, I muse. This is looking good, but then again, Lili has the Type advantage.

    ¡°Good try,¡± Roark tells his Pok¨¦mon as he recalls her. Our eyes meet for a moment and I give him a smile. He returns it with a shake of his head, then squares his shoulders and lets out a deep breath.

    ¡°Alright, here we go,¡± he shouts as the next Pok¨¦ball flies. It¡¯s another familiar shape. A Golem, one of the absolute staples of Rock Types. The same Pok¨¦mon Mrs Reed used to test me about two weeks ago. This one¡­ is bigger. It¡¯s almost big enough to call it an Alpha.

    That said, even Lulu could probably take him down with only a little trouble. We had simply too much experience with this Pok¨¦mon. Geodude and its evolutions were absolutely everywhere in Hisui. The only exceptions were the coastlines and the Icelands to the north, but even there it was possible to find them.

    I take a moment to look around as Lili starts moving again. She won¡¯t need me for this part of the fight. Ahem¡­ battle.

    My eyes find Gligar happily waving his claws and shouting his support. My friends around him are grinning, though there¡¯s also some surprise there. I guess I¡¯ve never let Lili go this far in front of them. Now they know what their Aura teacher is truly capable of. Lucas is sitting there as well together with a face that makes me freeze for a moment. The girl looks identical to Akari, for just a moment. Then I spot the slight differences. The nose is a little longer, her cheeks a little taller. Her eyes are that tiny bit larger and the colour is a light blue instead of the cloudy grey that I¡¯m used to. Even her hair is a little lighter. That has to be Dawn, Lucas¡¯ cousin. Or were they second cousins? I can¡¯t quite remember. That face is just too similar to my former best friend.

    I close my eyes and take a deep breath. When the referee calls for Roark¡¯s next Pok¨¦mon, I return my attention to the field.

    Roark has a difficult expression as he holds his next Pok¨¦ Ball. Our eyes meet and I give him a wide grin. His eyes narrow and he takes a stance.

    ¡°Alright. Here goes nothing!¡± he shouts and the next Pok¨¦mon appears in a pop-hiss.

    ¡°RAAAA!¡± she cries in a challenge of the ages.

    A sturdy grey torso carried on two short but strong legs holds up a massive head covered in white spikes around a massive blue horn. Her eyes are as wise as they are sharp and battle scars coat her hide and horn from decades of fighting. Maybe even more. I don¡¯t quite know how old fossil Pok¨¦mon can get but as they are Rock Types, it¡¯s probably a long time. At least there¡¯s no recognition there so she can¡¯t be old enough to know me from the past. Every Rampardos that was in Hisui knew my face very well, after all. Or they were eaten by the wild Garchomp Thunder in the Highlands.

    Lili stands tall before bowing in respect. Rampardos raises her head and calls out her own greeting, before going back down and pointing her horn at her opponent.

    ¡°Begin!¡± the referee calls out once again.

    There¡¯s an explosion of force and dust on the other side of the field. Lili manages to twirl out of the way just barely and has to swipe the flying rocks following in Rampardos¡¯ wake out of the air. That gives her opponent enough time to turn around and quickly charge a Zen Headbutt.

    Headbutt with Ancient Power on the side followed by a Psychic Type Move¡­ this Pok¨¦mon is on a much higher level than the others. Well¡­ I didn¡¯t pay much attention to the Golem¡­

    Anyway, Lili jumps to dodge the Zen Headbutt and I call ¡°Spin¡± as she goes up. My best fighter reacts immediately and reverses her momentum with an Ice Spinner but only manages to tag Rampardos¡¯ tail. Our opponent keeps rushing forward and runs a large half-circle around the field, getting some distance.

    ¡°Break!¡± I say, my voice almost getting swallowed by the cheering crowd.

    Lili doesn¡¯t let Rampardos get new footing and blasts forwards with her own Trailblaze, Grass TE drawing power from the Sunny Day on her arm-leaf. A Solar Blade extends, just a bit at first. Then Rampardos turns around and Lili swings her arm, slamming her heels into the ground to stop. She only miscalculated a little. The enormous blade of Grass TE swings around in but a moment. I barely see Rampardos¡¯ eyes widen in shock, then the attack lands. The Rock Type is flung to the side like a Drifloon in a Blizzard and impacts the Psychic barrier. The Solar Blade starts to crack the protective shield but Lili lets it fizzle and Mesprit quickly fixes the damage.

    The cheers that had started up with Roarks ace showing some fight are silenced for a full five seconds. Everyone waits, myself and Lili included, to see if Rampardos gets up again. I can¡¯t see any blood, so she definitely held back enough. The question is if she held back too much.

    Another five seconds pass without anything happening, then the referee regains his wits and raises one hand.

    ¡°Rampardos can no longer battle. Please choose your last Pok¨¦mon, Gym Leader Roark.¡±

    The man¡¯s face is grim. I¡¯m not very surprised, one of his closest friends just got hit very hard, but I trust Lili to know her strength. As the final Pok¨¦mon is released on the other side of the field, the Sunny Day suddenly slips and fizzles as dust rises inside the barrier. A sandstorm, that means this has to be a Tyranitar. A very powerful Pok¨¦mon from what I learned over the last two weeks but¡­ with its Dark-Rock dual typing it doesn¡¯t stand a chance against Lili.

    When I see my friend getting one last Victory Dance in, her movements almost fast enough to clear the sand around her, I decide not to drag it out.

    ¡°You get one move, Lili. End it,¡± I say.

    She chirps happily as a roar comes out of the storm. The crowd is mumbling and murmuring, but I already have Lili¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball in hand. She stays where she is, gently waving in the storm. The sand is a little annoying but I know she can deal with it.

    ¡°NOW!¡± Roark shouts from the other side of the storm.

    A huge shadow appears in the sand, rapidly shooting towards Lili. It¡¯s almost fast enough to land on her but the claws just barely miss her head. She lazily spins out of the way of the second and third strike of the Outrage, then steps under the fourth and into Tyranitar¡¯s reach. Her arm-leaf snaps up in a Brick Break. Tyranitar takes the hit straight on its chin and the Dragon TE on its claws fizzles. The sand drops to the ground unceremoniously, followed by the Pok¨¦mon that caused the storm.

    Lili finishes her twirl and waves to the crowd. I give her a smile and a thumbs up before recalling her.

    ¡°A-are you switching?¡± the referee asks.

    ¡°No, this is over,¡± I say ¡°Good battle, Roark. We just had a hard Type advantage.¡±

    The Gym Leader nods and forces a smile on his face, then recalls Tyranitar.

    ¡°Good battle indeed, Zoe. Your Liligant is a monster.¡±

    ¡°The winner is challenger Zoe Crones!¡± the referee finally calls and the crowd starts to cheer. I don¡¯t pay much attention to them as I make my way over to Roark to shake his hand. When I finally reach him, he¡¯s looking at Tyranitar¡¯s Pok¨¦ball, shaking his head and muttering to himself. He looks up and smiles at me. This time it¡¯s genuine.

    ¡°I hoped to catch you off guard with that last bit but¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what was that? Tyranitar doesn¡¯t move that fast, normally. Does it?¡±

    ¡°Dragon Dance. It¡¯s not easy for them to learn but incredibly powerful.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That makes sense. You had some good plans, we just brute-forced through them. That was an attempt at Rain Dance from Aerodactyl, right? To stop our Sunny Day?¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Zoe. And yes, that was. Wouldn¡¯t have done a lot, it seems.¡±

    ¡°From what I read, Armaldo gets faster in rain, just like Liligant does in sun. You could¡¯ve gotten the upper hand with that for a moment and delayed her long enough that Tyranitar might have been able to finish things off.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Good to know if I ever have to fight you again. I gotta train those two a lot more. They¡¯re usually in my Eighth Badge and Conference teams since they can¡¯t quite keep up with the other four.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°You mean battle. If we fight for real, you don¡¯t stand a chance. Lili won¡¯t be holding back her Solar Blades and Brick Breaks.¡±

    ¡°She was holding back¡­?¡± Roark looks suddenly pale.

    ¡°Quite a bit near the end there. I¡¯ve seen her cut Steelix segments with that Move.¡±

    ¡°Well, thank you for holding back, then. Oh, before I forget.¡±

    He digs in one of his pockets for a moment before handing me a few items.

    ¡°This is your Coal Badge, Master version. For those who beat me at my full power. If you ever start a new journey, this will still be valid. Collecting all eight Master Badges will let you apply for a position in the Elite Four, the same as beating one of them after winning the Conference. This also serves as a qualification for the Conference. Master Badges are neat like that. And of course, as all winners of the Coal Badge, you also get one TM for Stealth Rock. Make good use of it.¡±

    He gives me a wink and I laugh. Still, with this I have my first Badge once again. Only five more and I have enough to keep my Lab Trainer position. And I don¡¯t even need all eight to go to the Lily of the Valley Conference. The badge looks very similar to the normal version. A Pok¨¦ Ball-shaped piece of stylized rocks in a shining brown metal. This version is set on a black base instead of the usual silver.

    I know there¡¯s a Veteran Badge as well with a golden base that you get for beating a ¡®full team¡¯ of the Gym Leader. Six Pok¨¦mon of at least decent strength. That version lasts for five Circuits and is quite rare, even for professional Trainers. Only the regular Conference participants have them. This Master Badge, though, is almost a myth. It¡¯s fascinating to hold one in my hands. Not as big of a deal as facing Giratina at Spear Pillar or stepping into Arceus¡¯ realm for the first time, but definitely close. Now we just have to quickly plan for the other seven Gyms¡­ The next battle with Gardenia is in¡­ 17 hours. Great! I just barely stop my mouth from splitting into a vicious grin once more.

 015 Gym Trainers

    It¡¯s six in the morning on the first full day of the new Circuit Season and I am mixing a few berries into my and Gligar¡¯s breakfast. My newest Pok¨¦mon is sitting on the table as my family is still fully asleep. Dad and Rob, that is. Mum is probably starting on her hike to Eterna City today. I don¡¯t know how far she¡¯ll make it but the trip isn¡¯t too hard besides the part through the forest itself. I¡¯ve got Mes ready to Teleport me to Eterna City today but the little bundle of joy is still napping in my bed. Not that I¡¯m very surprised with all the excitement of planning this battle last night which she insisted on staying awake for.

    I set down breakfast, two portions for my little brother and Dad in the fridge, and start eating. Gligar happily digs in as well. I go through my plans again, even bare bones as they are with half a day of preparation. Lili completely stomped Roark¡¯s team yesterday but it wasn¡¯t completely free. We had luck with him starting off with weaker members of his team which let her set up. Though if Gardenia watched my match and tries to counter that, she¡¯ll have a hard time dealing with Lulu.

    Today it¡¯s time for my oversized lightning-kitten to come out and play. Between Ice Fang, Fire Fang, and her aggressive nature she¡¯ll easily trounce at least our first few opponents. I¡¯m much less worried than I was about Roark.

    A soft click comes from my bag and I blink. That¡¯s not a sound I recognize. I reach for it and see if something fell over. That would mean the spatial or temporal distortion is starting to break and I have to find Palkia and Dialga and make them fix it. They did claim it would hold for the rest of my life, after all.

    When I open the flap, I can immediately tell everything is fine. The inside looks very strange from this perspective but I¡¯m used to the eye-watering distortions and quickly noticed the change. The Reveal Glass shifted a little, hitting an Ultra Ball lying next to it. Only, I didn¡¯t put it next to an Ultra Ball, and especially not this particular one.

    With a sigh, I fish the two items out of my bag. The Reveal Glass shows the face of Giratina covered in deep shadows while the Ultra Ball I once used to catch them pops open in my hand. It¡¯s empty, luckily.

    ¡°Hey, friend. What¡¯s up?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Friend,¡± Giratina smiles, ¡°I have an offer for you.¡±

    I simply raise an eyebrow. Giratina looks on unfazed.

    ¡°I will be another member of your team if you need it.¡±

    Just as I thought.

    ¡°You just want to hang out, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I wish to help you.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Thanks, Giratina. Hmm¡­ Do you want to battle one of the gyms? Or do you just want to be a bit closer to the action?¡±

    That manages to make them stop to think for a moment. I keep shovelling berries and cereal into my mouth, quickly wiping a small spill from Gligar¡¯s bowl and petting his claw. He smiles at me between bites.

    ¡°I will be your reserve. But¡­ if you do not need me until the end, I would like to face Volkner.¡±

    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll do it like that,¡± I agree.

    With a sudden lurch of reality, the Reveal Glass shifts and Giratina touches their Ultra Ball, getting recalled instantly. Gligar cries out and I hold him soothingly as the Ball closes.

    ¡°No worries, buddy. That was an old friend of mine. You know, the one from the mirror?¡±

    He nods slowly and starts to calm down.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to be there with me for this Circuit to help out. Though it might be a little tough to let them out of the Ball. Their presence is a little¡­ on the nose.¡±

    ¡°Gligar gli?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I laugh, ¡°There¡¯s no need for them to train. They¡¯re even stronger than Lili, at least at the start of a battle.¡±

    He stares with his jaw dropped and only snaps out of it when I place a piece of berry in it. Reflexively, he starts chewing and I grin as he slowly reboots. I put away the Ultra Ball with Lili¡¯s and Lulu¡¯s Balls in my bag¡¯s side pocket as my Grass-Type turns the corner into the kitchen. She¡¯s managed to dry herself properly after her shower and gives us a happy chirp as she stands next to the window to enjoy breakfast in the form of sun rays. I throw her an Oran berry which she starts sucking on happily.

    Lulu gets her breakfast a few minutes later in the living room as we go over the Pok¨¦mon Gardenia is likely to use once again. We¡¯re less scared of her ace, Roserade, than of the Pok¨¦mon we know less well like Jumpluff or Bellossom. Hopefully she sticks with ones that were present in Hisui¡­

    Mes only barely wakes up in time to get a quick snack before we have to Teleport to Eterna City. I pinch her cheeks for oversleeping as she complains about being too tired which quickly wakes her up and we are off.

    <hr>

    Caroline is almost vibrating in her seat in the stands of the Eterna Gym. It¡¯s still fifteen minutes before the day¡¯s matches begin but Jenna is already fed up with her friend¡¯s antics.

    ¡°Did you watch it? Tell me you watched it!¡± the hyper girl said, ¡°I watched it like fifteen times and I still can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    Jenna sighs.

    ¡°The fact that Roark got swept harder than when he¡¯s up against Cynthia or that there¡¯s a whole new Liligant form we never knew about?¡±

    ¡°Yes! But Cynthia could sweep him even harder if she used her Garchomp. I think?¡±

    Caroline shakes her head.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve never seen a Solar Blade that terrifying and beautiful. Do you think when this Zoe comes to face Gardenia we can ask for some pointers on how to train Grass Types?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s a Grass Type specialist. We¡¯ve only seen one of her Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Yes but how could she not be? That was such a gorgeous Pok¨¦mon! And so strong! The way it fought even without any Trainer input it¡¯s like¡­¡±

    Jenna tunes out her friend¡¯s rambling. As official Gym Trainers who help out filtering potential Challengers to reduce Gardenia¡¯s workload, they were probably the ones who had to face this Zoe first. She was hoping that duty wouldn¡¯t fall to her. Facing a monster like that¡­ It was almost disappointing that Zoe couldn¡¯t get filtered straight through to the Gym Leaders. If the girl had lived in Eterna City she¡¯d maybe get one of the week one battles which skipped that requirement but otherwise, unless she delayed her Forest Badge until after her sixth one¡­ Yeah, a Gym Trainer was going to suffer. A lot.

    ¡°Jenna! Hey, are you listening?¡±

    She turns to her friend and colleague with a frown.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mean! As I was saying, I really hope I can ask Zoe for some pointers on how to raise Grass Types. That¡¯d be great! Do you think I should invite her to the Endless Meadow Board?¡±

    Jenna rolls her eyes.

    ¡°We have no idea if she is a Mono-Grass Trainer, let alone if she¡¯s got a Battle Network account. Planning to invite her to the Mono-Grass forum before that is just stupid.¡±

    ¡°Oi, don¡¯t be such a downer! Oh, it¡¯s almost eight. The first match¡¯ll start soon. Who do you think got the¡­ honour¡­¡±

    As Caroline trails off, Jenna follows her wide eyes only to find herself staring just as much.

    ¡°No fucking way¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that¡­ No, it can¡¯t be.¡±

    The girl that just entered the Arena making her way over to the Challenger¡¯s side of the field is clad in sturdy dark-blue clothes with white rims and thick leather sandals. Her white hair bundled into a woven braid is as unmistakable as the strange silver-and-pink Pok¨¦mon floating next to her.

    ¡°First Challenger of the day,¡± the referee calls, ¡°Zoe Crones, from Oreburgh City.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s her. But how?¡±

    Jenna stares, then smiles. She will not have to face the monster, now. That¡¯s amazing! Unless the girl somehow manages to throw this battle and has to come back later in the season. She looks over at Gardenia who shows a sudden and intense focus. Was this a surprise to her, too? Weren¡¯t these matches scheduled beforehand?

    ¡°This battle will be six on six, Elite Rules,¡± the referee continues, ¡°One carried item per Pok¨¦mon, no duplicates. The Challenger is the first to release their Pok¨¦mon. One switch per two minutes. Are the contestants ready?¡±

    ¡°Elite Rules?¡± Caroline sputters, ¡°Wait, does that mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Jenna gulps, ¡°Gardenia¡¯s main team is gonna come out. I wonder who she¡¯s brought.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes! I can¡¯t wait to see the boss¡¯s Roserade in battle!¡±

    Both Zoe and Gardenia have confirmed they¡¯re ready and the referee nods for them to release their Pok¨¦mon. When the teenager pulls out an Ultra Ball instead of yesterday¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball, Jenna gets a bad feeling. When the Ball opens and a large beam of light comes out of it, she gets worried. When the light only gets bigger and bigger, she starts to get scared. Then the Luxray is out in the open and roars.

    Caroline shrieks and clings to her but she barely even registers it. That Luxray is somehow even worse than the strange Liligant. Jenna freezes to her core, wanting to run but unable to move. Then, the Electric Type settles down and focuses its attention on Gardenia. Finally, Jenna can breathe again. She takes a few deep gasps as she shakes the fear off her mind.

    ¡°That! Was! Insane!¡± Caroline whispers, ¡°I¡¯ve never felt an Intimidate like that!¡±

    Jenna nods numbly.

    ¡°Looks like Zoe¡¯s not a Grass Type specialist,¡± Caroline mumbles.

    ¡°¡­ right. Probably not,¡± Jenna agrees numbly.

    Gardenia chucks her own Pok¨¦ Ball to the field and Jumpluff starts floating a few steps above ground. Usually that¡¯s enough distance to avoid any contact moves but with this particular Luxray, Jenna doubts Jumpluff can get high enough. The beast might be able to jump all the way to the ceiling. She really hopes the Alakazam and Bronzong holding up the barrier are strong enough to stop it.

    The referee counts down and the entire audience, sparse as it is this early in the morning, holds their breath. On three, Jumpluff narrows her eyes. On two, a few bolts of static run over the Luxray¡¯s back. On one, both Pok¨¦mon get ready to move.

    Then Luxray explodes into motion, Jumpluff just barely managing to avoid the charge by using Acrobatics to spin above it.

    ¡°Was that a Volt Switch?¡± Caroline asks.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Jenna ignores her as just in that one question, Luxray attacked two more times by charging in. It almost looks like a Shinx trying to catch a bit of floating pollen. You know the pollen will be ripped apart once it succeeds.

    Apparently Zoe thinks the same because she rolls her eyes and speaks up after four more moves.

    ¡°Got it out of your system, Lulu?¡±

    The Luxray yips and stops on the spot. Jumpluff takes the momentary breather to quickly let out a Sunny Day. Jenna shakes her head. If Zoe lets out her Liligant this is only going to be a disadvantage but Gardenia needs the power to beat this Luxray.

    Then Thunder strikes and Jumpluff sways in the air.

    ¡°Sleep Powder!¡± Gardenia shouts and her Pok¨¦mon tries to produce as much of it as it can before a second Electric Move hits her. This time Jenna can tell it¡¯s not a Thunder but a Thundershock. The Move came from the Luxray¡¯s body instead of the ceiling.

    Jumpluff sways much harder and starts dropping and Gardenia quickly recalls her. The replacement is none other than Cherrim, one of her hardest hitters in the sunlight. But when Jenna looks at Zoe, she only sees a relieved smile.

    Cherrim¡¯s wine-red petals unfurl and reveal the pink and yellow blossom underneath only for the tiny flower to grin at the giant electric cat. Jenna goggles at the bravery in that tiny bundle of energy but she notices Gardenia being a little happier as well. The positive mood of her Pok¨¦mon is just too infectious.

    The referee calls for the battle to continue and Cherrim immediately blasts a Solar Beam at her opponent. The Luxray manages to jump out of the way with a little room to spare and shoots off another Volt Switch to move past the second Solar Beam.

    ¡°Look!¡± Caroline says, ¡°She¡¯s already got two Growth¡¯s out. This¡¯ll be a tough battle.¡±

    Then Luxray shoots out a wave of darkness all around it and Cherrim cries out as she¡¯s too slow to dodge it.

    ¡°Get her!¡± Gardenia shouts and Cherrim shakes herself, producing a veritable storm of petals that rush towards the Luxray. The Petal Blizzard with its much wider area of attack manages to land a few hits on the cat, making the Pok¨¦mon flinch away. Another Solar Beam comes out in that very moment, just barely going past Luxray¡¯s mane.

    The electric cat rushes around Cherrim, slowly closing in while snarling. Two more Snarls come out but the still ongoing Petal Blizzard manages to disperse most of the energy of the Moves. Then the Luxray sees an opening and rushes forwards with a Quick Attack, a Fire Fang already on its teeth. Cherrim flinches and tries to desperately shoot another Solar Beam but her Move fizzles as she gets picked up by Luxray¡¯s burning mouth.

    When Cherrim¡¯s limp body impacts the barrier next to Gardenia, the Gym is completely silent for a moment. Gardenia leans down, then sighs in relief and motions to the referee.

    ¡°Cherrim is unable to battle!¡± he calls out, ¡°Please choose your next Pok¨¦mon, Gardenia.¡±

    As she ponders what to pick, Caroline sucks in a sharp breath of air.

    ¡°That was so brutal,¡± she says, ¡°That Luxray could¡¯ve swallowed Cherrim whole.¡±

    Jenna gulps and nods.

    ¡°But it didn¡¯t,¡± she says, ¡°It didn¡¯t even injure her permanently. They¡¯ve got great control over their strength.¡±

    ¡°Kinda have to, at that level¡­¡± Caroline mutters.

    Gardenia¡¯s next Pok¨¦mon is none other than her Tangrowth. The huge bundle of vines is one of her bulkiest team members and even has some Ground Type Moves to counter the Electric Type in front of her. Luxray only grins viciously at the sight of its new opponent.

    ¡°Resume!¡± the referee calls and this time, there¡¯s no sudden motion from either side. Luxray slowly makes its way towards Tangrowth, charging up another Fire Fang in the sunlight as Tangrowth carefully observes it.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she using Earthquake right away?¡± Caroline asks.

    ¡°No idea¡­¡± Jenna shakes her head.

    The Gardenia calls out. Immediately, two things happen. Tangrowth shoots a set of sharpened rocks at her opponent in an Ancient Power, aiming high, while stomping the ground to create an Earthquake and Luxray jumps to avoid it, getting right into the way of the Ancient Power. The rocks land and it cries out in pain, or anger. Jenna can¡¯t really tell.

    Not a moment later, another Volt Switch followed by a Quick Attack propels Luxray straight into Tangrowth¡¯s reach who lashes out with a bunch of vines, purple Poison Powder releasing from the gaps between them. Luxray bites through the Poison Powder and directly into Tangrowth and lifts the Pok¨¦mon in its maw. After only a few shakes, Tangrowth manages to steady herself with a bunch of vines on the ground and Luxray but another blast of Fire Fang burns through them as she drops to the ground. Luxray follows up with another two vicious burning bites and the battle is over.

    ¡°Calm,¡± Zoe calls as her Pok¨¦mon returns to her side of the battle, ¡°You got this.¡±

    Luxray nods its probably stinging nose, still purple from the Poison Powder, as Gardenia throws out her next Pok¨¦ Ball. Jenna is surprised to see Lefeaon. She¡¯d expect Sunflora to be much better with his Solar Beams in the still-burning sunlight, until said sunlight starts to fade just then. Has it already been that long?

    The referee calls to continue and Leafeon is immediately moving to keep his distance. He¡¯s wrapped in the white glow of Quick Attack as the monstrous Luxray chases after him. For the first time in the battle, Zoe shifts from her relaxed stance and points.

    ¡°Swords Dance, quick takedown.¡±

    Luxray stops on the spot and starts emitting a ton of electricity all over her fur. The static is making the air hazy around her.

    Gardenia clicks her tongue, then calls out, ¡°Get ready to block.¡±

    ¡°Protect or Substitute,¡± Zoe informs her Pok¨¦mon of the options Lefeaon has.

    ¡°She¡¯s good,¡± Jenna whispers to herself.

    The standoff between the two Pok¨¦mon continues for another moment as the electricity covers more and more of the arena.

    ¡°Is that really the ¡®quick¡¯ takedown?¡± Caroline asks.

    Thunder answers her. A bolt of lightning as thick as a tree smashes into Leafeon¡¯s Protect, quickly followed by a second one. The shield breaks and Leafeon uses Quick Attack to dodge the third only to immediately turn around and narrowly avoid the fourth. The fifth Thunder goes straight into his body and he drops on the spot, three more lightning strikes hitting the ground around him in quick succession.

    Jenna rubs her ringing ears and blinks the spots out of her eyes. When she manages to focus on the battlefield again, Gardenia has released her Torterra. After that display of power, sending out a Ground Type is definitely the right move.

    ¡°Owies,¡± Caroline complains as she rubs her ears next to Jenna, ¡°What the heck was that? Oh, Luxray is exhausted!¡±

    Jenna looks between the two Pok¨¦mon on the field and surely, the lightning cat is panting heavily.

    ¡°Looks like the poison is taking its toll. Question is, will it matter?¡±

    Gardenia seems just as concerned about that as she orders Torterra to play defensive. The first Leech Seed goes wild, the second dies in Luxray¡¯s Fire Fang. Then Luxray bites into his shell and he finally lands his first Move. Luxray roars through clenched teeth as it strains its muscles. Jenna¡¯s jaw drops as Torterra first shifts, then gets lifted bodily. The Pok¨¦mon cries at the unexpected movement, shaking its limbs in panic. It doesn¡¯t know what to do since it''s normally the big one doing the lifting.

    ¡°Torterra, Razor Leaf! Make it let go!¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon tries its best but before it can muster up the energy for its Move, Luxray rams it head-first into the ground. It cries in pain as it rolls over, only the tree on its shell preventing it from flipping all the way around which turns out to be a bad thing. Luxray pounces and bites into Torterra¡¯s weaker underbelly with a vicious Ice Fang. On the second bite, it holds onto its opponent and lifts it again, this time throwing the continent Pok¨¦mon into the barrier.

    Once again, the monster roars. Torterra is still conscious but sitting still and unmoving, trying to avoid becoming a target again. Gardenia has a weird expression on her face as she recalls him. Something Jenna has never seen on her. It¡¯s a strange mixture of fear and a promise of violence.

    Without any flourish, she throws her last Pok¨¦ Ball. Roserade lands in a combat-ready stance, one flower pointed straight at Luxray, the other one held behind its back ready to blast a surprise attack as it swings around.

    The referee realizes he¡¯s supposed to do his job and stammers out a ¡°Continue!¡± and immediately Roserade lets out a huge blast of purple energy from her flower. The Luxray doesn¡¯t make it out of the way in time and gets grazed by the Venoshock, crying out in pain. Jenna is almost surprised it can feel pain with how aggressive it¡¯s been.

    Zoe simply watches as Luxray tries and fails more and more Venoshocks, though she doesn¡¯t look too worried. True, she still has five other Pok¨¦mon to go through so she shouldn¡¯t but at this point Jenna almost expects her to sweep Gardenia with a single Pok¨¦mon again. Then Roserade stumbles as she turns for her next attack and her Venoshock hits the ground. Against expectations, Luxray doesn¡¯t immediately jump on the sign of weakness, instead just shooting out a Snarl.

    The two Pok¨¦mon exchange blasts a few more times, Roserade becoming less and less sure in her aim, then Zoe calls out.

    ¡°Lulu is out. I¡¯m switching.¡±

    ¡°Luxray is unable to battle!¡± the referee nods, ¡°Choose your second Pok¨¦mon, challenger Zoe!¡±

    There is a quick double set of energy beams and instead of an exhausted Luxray, Roserade is now faced with the beauty that is Liligant. The Pok¨¦mon does a graceful twirl as it lands and Gardenia sighs.

    ¡°Try your best, Rose!¡± she calls.

    Pok¨¦mon and Trainer both know they can¡¯t win this but they decide to keep fighting. Jenna feels herself tearing up, then staring as Liligant is suddenly right by Roserade¡¯s side. It only takes a few punches and the Gym Leader¡¯s Pok¨¦mon falls over, unable to get up. She didn¡¯t even land a single hit.

    ¡°R-Roserade is unable to battle. Challenger Zoe is victorious!¡± the referee calls.

    People in the stands are mumbling before slowly starting to applaud. That was a somewhat anticlimactic ending to such a violent fight. Jenna is still reeling from how vicious that Luxray had been. And how powerful. It had thrown around a Torterra with its mouth! That was¡­ not something she¡¯d ever expected to see. But it happened.

    She returns her focus to the field just as Zoe and Gardenia are meeting up in the middle. They exchange a few words too quiet for anyone in the stands to hear, then Zoe waves to the stands. Gardenia follows suit a moment later and they start making their way to the back end of the Gym. Both of them.

    ¡°Caroline,¡± Jenna asks, ¡°Why is Zoe going into the back of the Gym?¡±

    Her friend shakes her head.

    ¡°No idea. Let¡¯s find out!¡±

    Before she can hold out, Caroline drags her out of the stands and into the back rooms of the Gym. There are places set up for training, relaxation, and organization, and they catch Gardenia and Zoe making their way to the garden where everyone rests between battles.

    ¡°Oh, Caroline, Jenna!¡± Gardenia calls out with a smile, ¡°Good. Come with us.¡±

    Jenna stares incredulously at her boss, then at Zoe. The girl just gives her a smile and a nod as they keep walking.

    ¡°Zoe offered to look after my Pok¨¦mon but I¡¯ll be much more relaxed if I know you two are there as well. I fear she might¡¯ve left an impression on them that¡¯s not entirely favourable.¡±

    ¡°Lulu couldn¡¯t have gotten that far otherwise,¡± the girl in question says, ¡°But for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry about the violence.¡±

    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re fine. That was a good match. Your Luxray has incredible control to come across as a wild monster without actually harming her opponents.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say!¡± Caroline agrees, ¡°That was so scary! Where did you learn that? And how did she get that large?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we mostly lived in the wilderness for a while. That¡¯s where I found her, too. Up on the Coronet Highlands. She¡¯s what¡¯s called an Alpha, a Pok¨¦mon particularly aggressive for their species and thus hoarding much more by the way of nutrients and resources. But if you beat and catch them, they can be incredibly loyal. The number one rule in the wild is the rule of the strong, after all.¡±

    ¡°You lived in the wilderness?¡± Jenna scrunches her eyebrows, ¡°Like, in the Pok¨¦mon habitats?¡±

    ¡°Effectively, yes. I do a ton of field research. There¡¯s a little more to the story but that¡¯s too much for right now.¡±

    ¡°I wanna hear!¡± Caroline immediately demands, ¡°Tell me!¡±

    Zoe skilfully ignores her even when she gets more pushy in her demand, holding the younger girl by both shoulders and trying to shake her. Trying being the imperative word here. Jenna can only stare as the wildly overenthusiastic nature of her friend meets the calm and sturdy rock that is Zoe Crones. She¡¯s almost as relaxed as Bertha, the grandmother of Ground Types.

    Soon, they reach the garden and Gardenia releases her team. Her beaten and battered Elite team. This close up, Jenna can tell they aren¡¯t really hurt, at least physically, but they look somewhere between dejected and scared as they spot Zoe. The girl herself releases her Luxray and Liligant with a few steps distance as Gardenia starts looking over her team. Caroline takes a step back as the Luxray comes out but this time, the Pok¨¦mon just lays down calmly instead of the intimidating roar. In fact, the electric cat seems to be complaining about her itchy nose that¡¯s still purple from poison and it¡¯s kinda cute.

    There¡¯s also the pink-and-grey Pok¨¦mon that came with Zoe earlier as well as a young Gligar but those are all the Pok¨¦mon she releases. Zoe plucks a Pecha berry from the satchel on her hip and feeds it to her Luxray, gently scratching the giant Pok¨¦mon behind its ear. Then she turns to find Jenna and Caroline staring.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, come closer,¡± she says, ¡°Lulu doesn¡¯t bite.¡±

    The Luxray opens its maw and aggressively chomps down on the berry. Zoe punches the side of its head.

    ¡°Most of the time¡­¡± she rolls her eyes.

    Jenna looks over the four Pok¨¦mon, noticing the strange one she doesn¡¯t know is already over by Gardenia¡¯s team, gently applying something from a glass bottle to the itches and scratches.

    ¡°That¡¯s a Potion,¡± Zoe says at her questioning look, ¡°A Super Potion, handmade. I learned some old crating techniques so I could stay out longer in the wilderness.¡±

    ¡°Wait, is this your whole team?¡± Caroline suddenly asks.

    ¡°Yes and no. Mesprit isn¡¯t part of my team, she just hangs out. And there¡¯s one more team member that I¡¯m not letting out here. They¡¯re a little too¡­ imposing? They¡¯re taking part from inside their ball, though.¡±

    She pats her satchel and Jenna is suddenly scared. Something that Zoe, the Trainer of that Luxray, considers too imposing?

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can deal,¡± Caroline smiles, ¡°Just let them out!¡±

    ¡°I gotta go for the next match,¡± Gardenia calls out, ¡°Take care of my team until I get back, girls!¡±

    Caroline gives their boss a thumbs-up and they quickly start shuffling around to look over Gardenia¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. Zoe pulls out a bunch of berries and starts sharing them around which quickly turns the Pok¨¦mons¡¯ opinions of her upside down. It helps that the Luxray that demolished most of them is just lounging in the sun.

    The sun that is much too bright.

    She meets the eyes of Zoe¡¯s strange Liligant and realizes the Pok¨¦mon must have used Sunny Day to help out all the injured Grass Types. She walks over to take a closer look and the Pok¨¦mon greets her with a chirp. It¡¯s only slightly shorter than Jenna, equal in height if you include the little flower crown on the side of its head. Jenna smiles at the familiar features. She¡¯s seen a few Liligant but mostly in pictures online. This one has a slightly more teal tone to its leaves than the vibrant green but other than that the colour scheme is nearly identical.

    ¡°You¡¯re a beautiful one,¡± Jenna smiles.

    The Liligant twirls and shows of how its long legs let it move around much better than the stubby little feet of the much more common form.

    ¡°She really is!¡± Zoe says as she hugs her Pok¨¦mon from the side. The two are pretty much identical in height. Liligant pokes Zoe¡¯s nose with her leaf-arm and giggles.

    ¡°Yes, yes. Strong and beautiful, you muscle-brain.¡±

    Jenna blinks.

    ¡°Muscle-brain?¡±

    ¡°Lili loves fighting and battling and training. Anything to do with moving around and hitting objects or other Pok¨¦mon. Sometimes even people!¡±

    Zoe¡¯s grin makes it clear that was a joke until Jenna hears her next words.

    ¡°She taught me a whole lot. Sometimes she¡¯s more of a Trainer than I am.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡­¡± Jenna shakes her head, ¡°Nope. You¡¯re insane.¡±

    ¡°Maybe a little bit¡­? I mean, when you live out in the wilderness, you gotta be able to run or fight. I chose the latter.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Clinically insane,¡± Jenna nods, ¡°How can you even keep up?¡±

    Zoe grins.

    ¡°I¡¯m cheating, obviously!¡±

    Jenna holds her glare for a moment, then shakes her head. Torterra steps up to nudge Zoe¡¯s hand and the girl starts petting him. He grumbles happily, then points over at something.

    ¡°Terra,¡± he says.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re getting along great!¡± Zoe smiles.

    Jenna turns to see, of all things, Cherrim and the monstrous Luxray that almost swallowed her whole earlier sitting together and chatting. The smiling flower makes it seem like there was never any animosity between the two and after thinking about it for a moment, Jenna realizes there probably wasn¡¯t. The sweet little Pok¨¦mon is just too friendly and they only fought in a preconcerted battle. A competition. No matter how violent it had looked, there was no reason to be angry with each other.

    ¡°Come on, Lulu wants to get to know you, too. Join them!¡± Zoe says.

    The Luxray looks up and Torterra almost tries to hide behind its Trainer before realizing how futile of an effort that would be. With an encouraging chirp from Liligant, he shyly starts making his way over, greeting the only Pok¨¦mon in the room that is larger than him by pure mass. Tangrowth might be taller but there¡¯s a lot of air between those vines.

    Speaking of, Gardenia¡¯s Tangrowth is playing with Zoe¡¯s Gligar over in an open space a little away from the group. The Grass-Type throws the other Pok¨¦mon into the air with her vines who then tries its best to ram into her while dodging all of the vines that now swing to stop it. Over in another corner, Lefeaon and Jumpluff are chatting with the strange Pok¨¦mon. Mesprit, Zoe called it, right?

    ¡°What¡¯s that one¡¯s typing?¡± Jenna asks before she can stop herself.

    ¡°Oh, Mes? She¡¯s a Psychic-Type. She¡¯s the one who teleported us to Eterna City this morning.¡±

    ¡°So, like a Kadabra or¡­¡± Caroline trails off. The woman knows way too few non-Grass-Types in Jenna''s opinion.

    ¡°Much more powerful but yes, the Moves she can use are comparable. Mostly. She¡¯s also a lot sturdier, even if she doesn¡¯t look it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ could she take the others on your team?¡±

    ¡°Lulu, yes, definitely. Lili¡­ sometimes. They¡¯re pretty evenly matched despite the Type advantage.¡±

    At Jenna and Caroline¡¯s confused looks Zoe adds, ¡°Lili is Grass-Fighting. She¡¯s what you¡¯d call a regional variant, only that Sinnoh barely has any of them anymore. I¡¯ll have to go look where they moved to¡­¡±

    ¡°Grass-Fighting is so interesting!¡± Caroline says, ¡°I only know about Breloom and Chesnaught and they don¡¯t exist in Sinnoh naturally. Sometimes a Trainer brings them when they come from a different region so I¡¯ve seen some¡­ How does she deal with Flying-Types?¡±

    ¡°Ice Spinner, if she has to. Usually Lulu takes care of them. And Lili takes care of any Ground-Types that threaten Lulu. They¡¯re a great team.¡±

    ¡°I can see that,¡± Jenna nods, ¡°It¡¯s almost like you¡¯re a Ranger. You¡¯re not a Ranger, are you?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Zoe shakes her head, ¡°I¡¯m actually a Lab Trainer. Still in training, gotta get my six badges first, then I¡¯ll be an official field researcher. Or something like that. I haven¡¯t talked about it with Professor Rowan too much.¡±

    Jenna doesn¡¯t know what to say to that. If she wants to be a researcher, all the power to her. It only means she¡¯ll never have to face Zoe in a battle.

    ¡°So, about that last Pok¨¦mon of yours?¡± Caroline asks and Jenna sputters.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to know about that!¡± she chides her friend, ¡°If Zoe says it¡¯s scary, then I don¡¯t want to see it anyways!¡±

    The girl grins.

    ¡°Just keep watching my matches. 8 a.m. every day. If I don¡¯t have to use them before Volkner, they get to face him on their own.¡±

    ¡°Can you at least tell us what Type they are?¡± Caroline begs.

    Zoe gives her a long glance before sighing.

    ¡°¡­ They¡¯re Ghost-Dragon. Now let¡¯s make sure everyone had enough Potions and Berries before Gardenia comes back and complains.¡±

    Jenna can get behind that. Work is a great distraction from the enigma that is Zoe. Though over the course of the day, she almost starts to like the girl. Her Luxray is still way too scary though¡­

 016 Tumbling Pebbles

    My arm thrusts forwards, fingers pointing ahead. A hint of Grass Type Energy is wrapped around them as they cut into the tree in front of me. With a grunt, I rip my hand sideways out of the wood. Splinters patter on the ground like raindrops. The tree is long dead but the wood still holds some humidity. Not really useful for anything but training.

    I step back into a basic stance and lash out again in a quick one-two. This time, I¡¯m using Electric TE and the sparks char the wood as my fists sink into it. I cycle a small bit of Psychic TE and push the top of the tree away as it starts to topple. There is a crackling crash and a cloud of dust as it lands. I smile to myself.

    A chirp from behind makes me turn around. Lili is giving me an encouraging nod and the closest thing to a thumbs-up her arm-leaves can make. Gligar sits next to her clapping his claws together. He¡¯s taken a liking to the noise after my two recent Gym battles.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting stronger pretty quickly¡± I muse, ¡°Not that I was that weak before.¡±

    A huge head appears from the shadows in the trees around us. It¡¯s golden crown-like headpiece shines in the morning sun as the glaring red eyes focus on me.

    ¡°You will have an easier time until you catch up¡± Giratina speaks into my mind.

    ¡°Oh, that makes sense. Sort of like rehab after an injury.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You are more Pok¨¦mon than human in that sense.¡±

    I tilt my head.

    ¡°How¡¯s that work?¡±

    ¡°Humans take a long time to recover.¡±

    Mes pats my forehead from where she¡¯s sitting on top of my hair.

    ¡°Strong friend!¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Mes¡± I smile, ¡°Now, let¡¯s go over today¡¯s strategy. I wouldn¡¯t have picked Candice for the third badge but Arceus probably did it for a reason.¡±

    ¡°They were too slow. The other days were occupied¡± Giratina says with a smirk.

    My phone beeps. I pull it out and take a look at the message.

    You might lose this fight if you took it later.

    ¡°Huh. Okay, then. So did you make sure I¡¯d have the best chances, or what?¡±

    Another message arrives after a few seconds.

    Without Giratina battling, yes. You will have to leave soon.

    I check the time and sure enough, there¡¯s less than half an hour until the match.

    ¡°Thanks, Arceus. We gotta get ready, guys. Lili will start this time, then switch out for Lulu. From what I know, Candice shouldn¡¯t have any Pok¨¦mon we don¡¯t know from Hisui. At most there¡¯ll be a Jinx or Cloyster. She¡¯s been seen using those a few times but they¡¯re apparently not part of her top team. That means we can have a little bit of fun.

    ¡°Now, I want you to¡­¡±

    <hr>

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    Boards > Sinnoh_League > 92<sup>nd</sup>_Circuit > Trainer_News > Newcomers

    > Topic: Is this girl the one Volkner was talking about?

    LongDistanceVineWhip (WikiWarrior) (Original Poster)

    Hey there, your favourite VineWhip here

    Just watched an insane clip from Oreburgh, apparently happened just after the opening ceremony. Roark took on the first challenger of the saeson and I cant help but notice the strange Liligant-ish looking Pok¨¦mon. Anyone else watched the segment with Volkner a few weeks ago where he talked about someone that gave Cynthia a hard time? Is this her? That team Roark used looked pretty strong for a 0 badge fight.

    <u>Here</u> s the clip. Name is apparently Zoe Crones. Second attempt at the professional circuit, five years after the first. I faintly remember putting her name up in the list of one-badges.

    > Page <u>1</u> of <u>27</u> ; previous : <u>next</u>

    > Brine_is_for_everyone

    Holy hell thats a strong pok¨¦mon. Looks like some Lucario/Liligant fusion art I saw a few weeks ago. Is it fighting type?

    > GreenerGrasses (Grass Type Enthusiast)

    Gotta be a Grass Type! Go, Zoe, make us Grass Trainers proud! (And maybe tell us where one could find a Pok¨¦mon like that?)

    > NotAGengar (Lab-Trainer)

    That¡¯s Low Sweep and Drain Punch. If not a Fighting Type, it¡¯s at least using a lot of Fighting moves. With Solar Blade and Leaf Blade as well as shape and colourization, Grass Type is obvious. The parallels to a normal Liligant¡¯s looks makes me want to assume its some kind of regional form. Sinnoh doesn¡¯t have natural habitats of Liligant or Petilil so it might be a Sinnohian version if possible.

    To add to the trainer discussion, Professor Rowan had Zoe as a guest in the lab a few weeks ago. Don¡¯t know what they talked about but Lucas was there as well. Yes, that Lucas. The Lab-Trainer that keeps up with the circuit.

    > LongDistanceVineWhip (WikiWarrior) (Original Poster)

    Thanks for the info, Gengar! Much appreciated. Maybe they were talking about the new form and how it might¡¯ve happened? We still don¡¯t know a lot about how regional forms come to be. This might be the first time in recent history it¡¯s happened. I¡¯ll be looking out for Lab publications in the next months.

    > LivingFossil (Rock Type Enthusiast)

    Those poor fossil Pok¨¦mon. That must¡¯ve hurt. Grass and Fighting Type moves against a Rock Gym? Ouch!

    > BlitzRunner (Speedrunner)

    Speedrunning community is watching out for this girl, that¡¯s for sure! If she has more Pok¨¦mon at that level she might be the first to successfully complete a Black Badge speedrun. And she¡¯s only got one badge before this? That means she qualifies for all the categories! I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m a little scared.

    > EAGLE

    Anyone know what that strange Pok¨¦mon at 7 minutes in is? The one reinforcing the barrier? Never seen one like it

    > Chukst3r

    Good eyes eagle! Also, anyone notice how quick this match was? 6 mons down in under 8 mins

    > ExpandedMind

    I don¡¯t know what it is but I want it! Super Kawaii!

    > BlitzRunner (Speedrunner)

    @Chukst3r the battle wasn¡¯t that short. Most high level matches only have a few Moves before a mon goes down. They¡¯re too powerful. If they kept fighting, they¡¯d risk permanent injury.

    > Page <u>27</u> of <u>27</u> ; <u>previous</u> : next

    > BlitzRunner (Speedrunner)

    Just saying, I¡¯ve seen some things go wrong. If Crones¡¯ Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t holding back at least a little, I¡¯ll eat my boots.

    > BloodRight

    You¡¯re delusional Pok¨¦mon dont get thatstrong. Unless their legends!

    > PoryGone (Moderator)

    Keep it calm, BloodRight. No insulting others. This is your first strike.

    > GreenerGrasses (Grass Type Enthusiast)

    Just gonna refresh my request. If anyone knows wehre to find a Pok¨¦mon like that, Please DM me! I want one!

    <hr>

    Ryan shakes his head. He only checked this thread because someone had tagged him in it. Turns out it was about that interview two weeks ago about the big Trainers for this season. He skimmed through but, as expected, the forums are filled with a ton of useless guessing and bickering. With a sigh, he clicks on the video linked in the original post.

    Seven minutes and forty seconds later, he leans back in his chair. A shaking hand wipes the sweat from his brow.

    ¡°Cario,¡± his partner¡¯s paw pats his shoulder. Lucario growls in excitement. Not something she does very often when watching recordings. He smiles and pats the paw.

    Okay, so maybe Volkner¡¯s intel on this new Trainer was true. A second Cynthia. Great. And one that¡¯ll take part in the next conference most likely. Hopefully she¡¯s a mono Trainer and not a versatile monster like the Champ.

    Reluctantly, he turns back to his screen. It¡¯s only been two days since the opening ceremony but she might¡¯ve made the trip to one of the other Gyms. With powerful Pok¨¦mon like that, a quick flyer was highly likely. What was her name again? Zoe Crones? He typed it into the search bar and was surprised to see an individual thread immediately hog the top entry. The title was unassuming but even he as a Battle Network avoider knew that almost 100 pages of replies was a lot for less than 48 hours. With just the slightest bit of trepidation, he clicked.

    <hr>

    Boards > Sinnoh_League > 92<sup>nd</sup>_Circuit > Trainer_News > Newcomers

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    > Topic: Zoe Crones Reaction Thread V2

    LongDistanceVineWhip (WikiWarrior) (Original Poster)

    VineWhip here, again. Thought as I was the one to discover her first battle, I¡¯d collect all the info about her, specifically all <u>battle-related</u> info (you sickos) in one easy to find place. Gonna update this with new links as they are shared. Feel free to DM or tag me.

    For anyone who doesn¡¯t know about our newest overlady, the most important bit of information is probably that Battle Network has nicknamed her Little Cynthia. I¡¯m inclined to support that name, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. From what we know she can keep up with Cynthia in a friendly fight.

    Edit: It¡¯s now reasonable to assume that she¡¯s going for one match a week. Speedrunners in shambles. Also, <u>here</u> is the Wiki info on badge tiers. Might be important to know since Crones only goes for Black Badges (which even Cynthia didn¡¯t do back then).

    Now, here¡¯s the links (editing as they come in):

    <u>Zoe Crones Wiki Entry</u>

    <u>First mention (Volkner interview)</u>

    <u>First Battle (vs Roark)</u>

    <u>Second Battle (vs Gardenia)</u>

    <u>Third Battle (vs Candice)</u>

    Fluff links:

    <u>Picture gallery</u> (mostly her Pok¨¦mon)

    <u>Eterna Gym Trainers interview</u> (they spoke to her after the match)

    > Page <u>1</u> of <u>98</u> ; previous : <u>next</u>

    > BloodRight

    First!!!

    how she so fast? two gyms in two days. insane

    > GreenerGrasses (Grass Type Enthusiast)

    Damn, sniped by a brat. She probably has a flyer or teleporter. Though the teleporter would need to have been all over Sinnoh before to get everywhere iirc so probably a flyer.

    Also crying right now. She¡¯s not a Mono Grass Trainer! Why do you betray me so, Little Cynthia!

    > BlizRunner (Speedrunner)

    The speedrunning community is currently discussing setting up a new category. We¡¯re not sure if we want to call it Cynthia Rush or Crones Percent.

    Honestly, the nickname makes even more sense now that we know she¡¯s not a Mono Trainer. But that Luxray is huge. What did she feed it?

    > RubixCube

    Bold of you to assume she¡¯s feeding it. That monster probably hunts Rapidash for lunch.

    > GreenerGrasses (Grass Type Enthusiast)

    Leave me to my tears @BlitzRunner Making sense doesn¡¯t make it any easier on my heart! Anyway, still looking for that Liligant Form. If it is one. Little Cynthia, I might forgive you if you tell me how to get one.

    > EternalTree (Grass Type Enthusiast) (Gym Trainer)

    Damn, I saw that match live and I can barely believe it happened. The way Lili came out at the end and just crushed it. That was so cold. Anyway, just came back from an interview. Zoe came to the backrooms with us to help treat Gardenia¡¯s team. She¡¯s really nice but also a little mysterious. <u>Here</u> is the link.

    tl;dr: Zoe Crones is really good with Pok¨¦mon. Her battling skills are second to her general knowledge. Probably why she got a Lab-Trainer position. The little pink-and-grey Pok¨¦mon is not hers, it¡¯s her friend. It helps her by teleporting but it won¡¯t fight for her. She has a young Gligar picked up just recently and a fourth Pok¨¦mon that she didn¡¯t want to show because it was ¡®too scary¡¯. That¡¯s what she said right in front of Luxray¡¯s giant fangs. The fourth Pok¨¦mon is apparently Ghost Dragon Type but that¡¯s all she was willing to diverge. She said she will use it in at least one Gym battle.

    > LongDistanceVineWhip (WikiWarrior) (Original Poster)

    Thanks for the intel @EternalTree Something scarier than that Luxray? Oh shit. And it¡¯s a Dragon. That means her Ace has something in common with Cynthia¡¯s Ace. Another point in favour of Little Cynthia¡¯s nickname.

    I assume Lili is that Liligant? Is that what it is, btw? Can you confirm/deny?

    > EternalTree (Grass Type Enthusiast) (Gym Trainer)

    Can confirm it¡¯s a Liligant. Apparently it was found quite commonly in Sinnoh a few hundred years ago. Back then, it was called Hisui or something? Not so sure. Might have to have a history nerd weigh in on that. Zoe didn¡¯t want to say where she found it, though. I do have confirmation that it¡¯s Grass Fighting.

    > NotAGengar (Lab-Trainer)

    Well, ouch. You¡¯re shitting me. I didn¡¯t know Luxray could get that big! And I¡¯ve travelled the wild areas. Granted, I haven¡¯t gone too deep but still.

    Did a quick search in the database. Ghost Dragon is apparently only present on a Pok¨¦mon from Galar called Dragapult. A very fast and offensive Pok¨¦mon. Might be how she kept up with Cynthia. I¡¯d ask around in the lab but I¡¯m currently in Jubilife preparing for a trip deep into Eterna forest. I¡¯m leaving in an hour and I¡¯m scared what I¡¯ll see when I come back.

    > HistoryForLife (Champion Cynthia) (History Enthusiast)

    :)

    > Page <u>2</u> of <u>98</u> ; <u>previous</u> : <u>next</u>

    > LongDistanceVineWhip (WikiWarrior) (Original Poster)

    AAAAAAHH! IT¡¯S THE CHAMP!!!!

    Is that tacit approval of Little Cynthia¡¯s nickname? Confirmation that they fought? Please enlighten us!

    > GreenerGrasses (Grass Type Enthusiast)

    No way!

    > BloodRight

    OMG!

    > BlizRunner (Speedrunner)

    Oh. Miss Champ, care to weigh in on naming the newest Speedrunning category? Also, thanks for acknowledging our community in your opening speech!

    > WatchDog (WikiWarrior)

    Welp, that confirms it in my eyes. Gonna update the Champ¡¯s entry about related Trainers brb

    > HealthyObsession

    By the Champ! It¡¯s the Champ! Gonna keep an eye on this Crones gilr as well.

    > GreenerGrasses (Grass Type Enthusiast)

    @HealthyObsession Please don¡¯t make this threat weird like the first one. Even if you weren¡¯t part of that.

    > HealthyObsession

    @GreenerGrasses No worries, my obsessions are healthy! I only care about strength and how to get there.

    > ExtraSpecialxX (Banned)

    (comment deleted by moderator)

    > PoryGone (Moderator)

    Not even gonna give you a chance. Banned. Keep it clean, everyone.

    <hr>

    Ryan leans back in his chair. How are these idiotic comments always keeping his interest for so long? There¡¯s nothing interesting going on. Well, no. That was wrong. The Champion had involved herself in the discussion. The one person that never took part in stuff like this. She only talked on the history boards. Oh, and there was that info on Zoe¡¯s team. He refused to call her ¡®Little Cynthia¡¯. But a Ghost type¡­ That¡¯s gonna be difficult to deal with for his team. Maybe it¡¯s time to get his Pancham to evolve.

    Shaking his head, he sits back up and goes through the links. Skipping past the battle with Roark he carefully watches the other two. Against Gardenia, Zoe used a huge Luxray. With how quickly that thing moves, he¡¯ll have to put one of his bulkier partners on the field, Ryan thinks. Then he sees the monster¡¯s Thunder and shakes his head. Bulk is going to be useless against that. He can only hope his Lucario is fast enough with her Bone Rush.

    He turns on the next clip. Candice is an interesting choice for a third Gym but if she Teleports or flies around, it doesn¡¯t really matter where you go for the badge. When Zoe starts the battle with her Liligant, he scoffs. A Grass Type against an Ice Type master. Though the Fighting Type it supposedly has will be very useful.

    Candice starts off with Abomasnow, which produces a messy snowstorm. That quickly doesn¡¯t matter when the Liligant uses Sunny Day to override the weather. That much was expected. Candice switches to her Glalie who stalls the Liligant for a few seconds by keeping his distance, then Abomasnow comes back in. Zoe reacts by swapping out instead of using Sunny Day which turns out to be a smart move as a Blizzard immediately crashes into the Luxray. The electric cat rushes in with a Fire Fang on its teeth which forces Abomasnow out, then uses Sunny Day as Weavile comes in.

    The two Trainers swap around a few more times, fighting for control of the weather, until Zoe shakes her head and gives a command for the first time as her Liligant is out in the sun against Abomasnow. What follows is a textbook sweep. The Liligant rushes in with a Close Combat to take out the guaranteed hail setter, then proceeds to buff itself with something that looks like a prettier Work Up.

    The way the Liligant dodges around any attacks coming at it is absolutely wonderful to look at. If Ryan didn¡¯t know better, he¡¯d have thought it used Detect but to his trained eyes it was clear it simply knew exactly what to expect from its opponents. That speaks from a lot of experience. Most definitely more than the five years since Zoe last challenged the circuit. Which means the girl probably met this Pok¨¦mon in the wild when it was already strong. That was the only explanation how they could be so in sync and still have this much experience.

    Candice¡¯s Weavile and Glalie fall to Low Kick and Drain Punch respectively, each getting only one quick move in as the Liligant keeps buffing up. Frosslass lasts a little longer thanks to her Ghost Type but she can¡¯t land a good hit even with Icy Wind and Blizzard¡¯s large target areas. Glaceon comes out next and goes with Quick Attack instead of Ice Type Moves. It tries to set up another snowstorm but falls to a Drain Punch. Mamoswine comes out last, a good choice if the Liligant had gone down, but Candice is on her last legs and a single Close Combat ends the battle.

    He exchanges a look with Lucario. His partner is almost vibrating in excitement. She really wants to battle this Pok¨¦mon. But they¡¯ll need to train more to stand a chance. If it was them against Candice¡¯s Black Badge Team, they¡¯d maybe get two or three takedowns as long as they could prevent the hail. He knows, because he tried for it last season, thinking his Type advantage should give him an edge. He is still missing the Black Icicle Badge.

    A cheerful ringtone interrupts his thoughts. With a sigh, he picks up his phone. The caller is someone he knows very well.

    ¡°Tobi, old pal, what¡¯s up?¡± he greets his friend and rival.

    ¡°Yo, Ryan. Nothing much. Just the strongest newcomer since Cynthia shaking up the circuit. Did you see?¡±

    Ryan laughs.

    ¡°Yeah, I saw. Someone tagged me on Battle-Net. Looks like the season will be interesting.¡±

    ¡°You can say that. Everyone¡¯s scrambling to figure the girl out. Rowan knows her, so does Cynthia, but they¡¯re keeping quiet. What do you think of that Liligant?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say, I don¡¯t think any of my partners can keep up with it. Might manage with three of mine.¡±

    ¡°Right. Fucking ouch. About what I expected, though. I¡¯m putting together a training camp a month from now, Top Challengers only. You up for it?¡±

    ¡°A training camp specifically to deal with one girl? You¡¯re mad!¡± Ryan laughs. He can hear his friend¡¯s grin in his next words.

    ¡°Not just that, no. It¡¯s about time someone gives Cynthia a proper challenge. Not a single Trainer can even keep up with her and then this newbie comes out of nowhere and shows us up? Not on my watch.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± Ryan chuckles, ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t be outdone by a newcomer. How many people are coming?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve got most of the top-16 of last year and the top four of the three before that. Still ringing up some folks. I hope I can get Maylene, too, but it¡¯s hard to get a hold of the Gym Leaders.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be nice. That girl¡¯s even better than me with Fighting Types. Want me to reach out?¡±

    ¡°If you can, that¡¯d be a great help.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing. Where is it gonna happen?¡±

    ¡°I got a place in Jubilife. The Trainer School has a training gym you can rent out. Wouldn¡¯t mind if you pitch in, if you catch my drift.¡±

    ¡°Oh, neat. Yeah, I¡¯ll add some cash to the bank. Let¡¯s make this thing worth it.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Tobias laughs, ¡°It¡¯s about time someone breaks things up.¡±

    They say their farewells and Ryan stands up, stretching his arms and legs. He chuckles when he notices the vicious grin on his face, mirrored by his partner. This season is going to be great.

    <hr>

    I shake my head with a smile as I brush through Lulu¡¯s fur. My electric giant is humming to herself, eyes half-closed and tongue lolling out. The battle was a little short for her with Lili finishing things up once we had a good position in the weather. I¡¯m just happy she¡¯s not angry at coming short. Then again, Lili is the worse muscle-brain between the two.

    Candice wasn¡¯t as welcoming as Gardenia but I don¡¯t hold it against her. The woman was pretty down after being taken out by a Grass Type. I also understand now why Arceus made me take this battle earlier. With a little more time to prep, she might¡¯ve been able to win the weather battle and tear through my team with her Frosslass and Weavile. Well, not through Giratina, but Lili and Lulu potentially. Even with all our experience training with Lisa, they were never able to reliably beat her inside a snowstorm.

    ¡°Gli! Gar!¡± my youngest team member shouts and I turn to look. He¡¯s exchanging blows with Lili, though nothing serious. They¡¯re going through some common sequences melee fighters like to use and she¡¯s showing him how to properly react to them to avoid or at least minimize the damage he takes. He¡¯s not the first Gligar we worked with so I don¡¯t expect any problems to come up and Lili is the better Trainer between us anyways.

    Hmm, maybe I should¡¯ve made her get the PSIL-ID and run the circuit¡­ No, that wouldn¡¯t work. She couldn¡¯t go into the fight without having one of ¡®her¡¯ Pok¨¦mon take the place of the Trainer so either I would¡¯ve been relegated to calling shots anyway, or we¡¯d lose most battles at this level.

    I sat down the brush and took out my phone. The rule-set was a little strange when the Trainer was also a ¡®Pok¨¦mon¡¯ or something similar, like in my case. I could take part in a battle as one of my team of six but if I didn¡¯t give the command to one of my other Pok¨¦mon and got knocked out, I would lose automatically no matter how many I still have in reserve. That means if Lili and Lulu both get knocked out in a battle, I have to either send out Giratina or go in myself.

    I can¡¯t appoint Gligar because he isn¡¯t part of my ¡®battle¡¯ team. Which is stupid but he doesn¡¯t want to be signed up for that. He¡¯s too weak, by his own admission, and doesn¡¯t deserve the position. Yet. We¡¯re definitely going to get him there.

    Right now, I¡¯ll probably go and battle without sending out Giratina if there¡¯s only one Pok¨¦mon left on the other side. I should be able to manage that much. I might even try with two left. There¡¯s no need to get all the badges on the first run through. I have three already and I only need six by the end of the season to keep my Lab-Trainer position, which is all I really care about.

    ¡°Mrawr,¡± Lulu mumbles. Her voice rattles my body and I smile.

    ¡°Thanks, girl.¡±

    I look up to see Mes floating down in a lazy circle. She¡¯s carrying a plastic bag which reveals six paper bowls of ice cream, two of them double-sized.

    ¡°Guys, take a break, ice cream¡¯s here,¡± I call out.

    Gligar and Lili stop their practise and make their way over. Giratina seeps out of the shadows by our side. By the time everyone is there, Mes has already levitated the bowls to their places. Mine is the only one that comes with a spoon.

    We dig in and for a few minutes the clearing is only filled by the content noises of my friends enjoying their ice cream. The sun is warm against my skin and I feel myself relax. It was a good idea to take a bit of a break today. Tomorrow is Crasher Wake, the Water Type Gym. That will be the easiest out of all of them. It was nice of Arceus to let us have some time to relax. The battle with Fantina¡¯s Ghost Types after that will be much more difficult.

    I close my eyes once I¡¯m done eating. The warm sun quickly makes me doze off. It¡¯s such a nice day. I wonder how Mum is doing?

 017 Raising Concerns

    Serena sighs deeply as the light of the cave¡¯s exit comes into view. She didn¡¯t expect her journey to be so exhausting. Climbing through a cave after two days of crossing through fields of grass and passing by humid lakes was much more exhausting than those little day-trips through Oreburgh Tunnel. She almost wishes her husband was here with his Machop. Or her daughter Zoe with her strong Pok¨¦mon. The roars coming from deeper inside the cave gave her a fright whenever she heard them.

    Nadya chirping on her shoulder rips her out of her thoughts.

    ¡°Hey, girl. We¡¯re almost through. Looks like it¡¯s getting close to evening.¡±

    Her Zubat squees happily, the thought of not having to go into sunlight calming her down instantly. Serena isn¡¯t quite sure what to do about that. Shifting her sleeping schedule doesn¡¯t work out that well in the wild when the first rays of the sun wake her up without fail. Maybe she needs to catch a Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s happy to be out in daylight?

    A rumble in the hallway in front of her takes her out of her thoughts. The stone shifts, then a Geodude floats up and flexes its arms.

    ¡°Duude!¡± it calls out in challenge. Nadya answers with her own cry.

    ¡°Nadya, are you sure?¡± Serena asks her partner.

    She feels her hands shaking. They avoided all battles since they entered the Ravaged Path but now that they were close to the exit, she doesn¡¯t have a real argument to not fight. And she knows Nadya wants to prove herself. It¡¯s just¡­

    ¡°This matchup is really bad for us.¡±

    Somehow, she manages to keep her voice steady. Years of experience working in a busy office and suppressing emotions to keep the company running were paying off in the most unexpected circumstances.

    Nadya nods and takes to the air. Geodude throws a one-two punch and grins. At least this is a Pok¨¦mon Serena is familiar with. They had one at home for the past five years. She isn¡¯t that scared, honestly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± she mutters to herself.

    ¡°Alright, Nadya, Supersonic!¡±

    Her partner complies immediately, following their planning and the training they did in the two weeks before setting out. The shrill noise makes her ears ring a little but it¡¯s not that bad. Nadya is getting pretty good with targeting her Move. It¡¯s the core of their strategy after all.

    The Geodude tries to dodge but gets caught in the vapour-like rings that are released with the sound. He shakes himself, then spins around and rams his hand into the ground to stabilize.

    ¡°Now, Poison Fang, just like we practised! Don¡¯t bite too hard!¡±

    Nadya squees in agreement and dives in rapidly, catching herself just in front of the Rock Type. Her fangs dig into the rocky exterior, only a tiny bit, and some of the Poison Type Energy latches onto the Geodude. Then Nadya pushes off and shoots away again. Serena frowns. The poison didn¡¯t take and Geodude is turning around with a rock in his hand.

    ¡°Dodge!¡± she shouts, unsure what Move is coming but happy to have called it out when it ends up being a Rock Throw that just barely misses Nadya.

    Geodude shakes himself and roars, probably to clear his head. Serena hesitates for a moment, then remembers that Nadya has a good move against a Ground Type.

    ¡°Nadya, keep your distance and use Absorb!¡± she calls out, ¡°Mix in Supersonic as well!¡±

    Geodude makes an annoyed face, then grabs another rock from the ground.

    ¡°Dodge!¡± Serena shouts and Nadya rolls out of the way just in time, letting out a partially charged Absorb that makes their opponent flinch.

    They exchange blows for what feels like an eternity but can¡¯t be more than a few minutes until Nadya gets clipped by a Rock Throw and cries out in pain.

    ¡°NO!¡± Serena cries but her partner catches herself and lands a full-face Absorb on the laughing Geodude. The energy rushing into her fixes up most of the wound, immediately stopping the blood flow. Geodude sits still, a little dazed from the attack.

    ¡°Again!¡± Serena shouts and the Rock Type suddenly looks panicked.

    ¡°Dude!¡± he cries as another Absorb lands.

    Serena growls and takes a step forward, then realizes what she¡¯s doing and freezes. Still, it was enough. The Geodude cries out in panic and flees into a crevice in the wall as Nadya cackles in satisfaction.

    Serena realizes she isn¡¯t shaking anymore when her Pok¨¦mon lands in her arms. A weak smile sneaks onto her lips then blossoms into a full-blown grin.

    ¡°We did it, Nadya!¡± she laughs, ¡°Our first battle against a Type disadvantage. And we won!¡±

    Nadya squees happily and wiggles in her arms. A quick look lets Serena see the wound is completely healed, only a small scar remaining.

    Then someone claps behind them and she shrinks in on herself.

    ¡°Great battle!¡± a voice calls out.

    She turns to see a young man in travelling gear standing there, a big smile on his face. He has three Pok¨¦ Balls on his belt and looks a little unkempt.

    ¡°Not often I see someone your age just starting out,¡± he says and Serena bristles.

    ¡°Excuse me, young man! What is that supposed to mean?¡±

    He laughs it off.

    ¡°No, no. I didn¡¯t mean to call you old. Just relative to most other beginners, you¡¯re¡­ I¡¯m just digging myself deeper, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Serena stands tall and stares him down. He¡¯s only a few centimetres taller than her and his frizzy hair reminds her a bit of her brother. She smiles darkly.

    ¡°Oh, no, do go ahead and finish what you were saying.¡±

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m fine. Anyway, I¡¯m Simon Berret, Field Researcher of the Pok¨¦mon Lab. I¡¯m on my way to Eterna Forest and the Rangers asked me to take a look at the Path. Now I¡¯m glad I did, seeing a beautiful woman taking her first steps with a new Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Serena drops her smile and meets his eyes.

    ¡°Serena Crones. I¡¯m married. And I¡¯m almost old enough to be your mother.¡±

    ¡°Now who is calling who old?¡± Simon smirks, then bows his head with a more serious expression, ¡°But I apologize. I didn¡¯t see the ring.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fine. I will still take the compliment.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, Ma¡¯am. Let¡¯s keep going?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°Sure. I want to set up camp before nightfall.¡±

    ¡°Good idea.¡±

    They start moving towards the exit. It¡¯s only a few minutes away and there¡¯s a campsite just outside, a few kids on their journey already settled in with their tents or sleeping bags.

    ¡°Mind if I set up next to you?¡± Simon asks, ¡°I¡¯m interested to hear your story.¡±

    Serena waves him off, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m not that interesting, though.¡±

    ¡°I beg to differ. What made you start another journey?¡±

    She smiles.

    ¡°This is my first time. Never got around to it as a kid.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Oh, wow. How come?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it,¡± she shakes her head. It¡¯s not that bad after all those years but the memory of her brother lying in a hospital bed never really left her. Only once she got to know Derrik and meet his Machop did she start to get used to Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. What made you reconsider, then? Trouble at work?¡±

    ¡°Not really, no. I like my job. It¡¯s more that I had this opportunity all of a sudden. Mostly it¡¯s thanks to my daughter, though.¡±

    ¡°Is she a Trainer?¡±

    Serena chuckles.

    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s not the reason. It¡¯s a bit of a story.¡±

    ¡°We have time. I¡¯d be happy to listen.¡±

    She shakes her head.

    ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s see¡­ My daughter, Zoe, went missing some time ago. Don¡¯t worry, she was found,¡± she reassures Simon, ¡°but she came back with an incredible tale. I won¡¯t get into the details, it¡¯s not my story to tell, but she had new Pok¨¦mon all of a sudden, and powerful ones. I would say I¡¯ve gotten used to being around the ones in my family, and the Porygon that sometimes help at work, but that¡­ It was like I was little again. I, well, I was scared. And then I saw how she interacted with them and I wondered if that¡¯s what it takes to, you know, overcome my fear.¡±

    Nadya chirps on Serena¡¯s shoulder, rubbing her cheeks into the nook of her neck.

    ¡°Thanks, Nadya. And this little one here was the reason. Zoe found her, in Oreburg Tunnel where we were hiking, and gave her to me. And Nadya wanted to go on a journey, so here we are. I¡¯m not sure how far we¡¯ll go but there¡¯s no need to rush.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good approach,¡± he nods, ¡°Have you made plans for a larger team or will you stick with just the one partner?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I have some ideas. It¡¯s not something I¡¯ll get into before I have some more experience with Nadya, though. I don¡¯t want to make it too complicated so either a Flying or Poison Type would be required for my second Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Oh, nice. I have a Haunter myself. She¡¯s my starter and got me all the way to six badges. I can heavily recommend the Ghastly line. Though I seem to be stuck with Water Types since.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Really? Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get any of those if I can help it. I¡¯m more of a land person.¡±

    Once their tents are set up, Serena takes out a bowl and Nadya¡¯s Pok¨¦ Chow. Her Pok¨¦mon digs in immediately. She pays close attention to Nadya¡¯s wing but it seems to be fully healed already. She knows Pok¨¦mon are incredibly quick to regenerate but seeing it first-hand is a little different.

    Simon lets his team out of their Pok¨¦ Balls as well and the Haunter immediately catches her eye. The floating head made of purple gas is cackling as she starts to dig into her Trainer¡¯s bag. A Prinplup stands next to her and fills the water bowls with what might be a Move. It¡¯s very careful not to spill any water, though. His last Pok¨¦mon is a Bibarel who is lazily lying around a few steps away from the others, eyes half-closed.

    Compared to all the powerful Trainers running the professional circuit, Simon¡¯s team isn¡¯t anything special, but for most people having three Pok¨¦mon, none of them in their base forms, is a strong team. Some Trainers make it to six badges with just one or two fully evolved Pok¨¦mon, or ones that are already strong in their base form while others spend more time broadening their skill set and building strategies for multiple situations. Being a generalist is difficult but also popular, thanks to the Champion.

    Soon, everyone is settled in for dinner, Serena and Simon sitting on the ground surrounded by their Pok¨¦mon. They keep chatting for a while about Pok¨¦mon and Simon gives her some feedback on the strategies she is planning to use. Most of what she knows comes from watching the Conference every year so having a professional, even if it¡¯s a researcher and not a Trainer, lets her refine her ideas a lot more rapidly.

    She finishes the day by calling Derrik from inside her tent and telling each other all about their days. He¡¯s excited that she won a battle and has their son join in so she can retell the story. He hasn¡¯t heard what Zoe is doing right now but it¡¯s only the third day after the start of the season. Serena isn¡¯t worried for her daughter, yet.

    <hr>

    ¡°Go on, beat him up, Lili!¡± I shout happily.

    My friend twirls to dodge an Ice Beam and jumps alongside the Move over the platforms as the Ludicolo swerves it into her. The rain pattering the pool¡¯s surface obscures visibility and, in combination with her increased speed from Victory Dance, our opponent is too slow to react in time. When Wake calls out the Protect, Lili¡¯s Low Kick has already toppled the Ludicolo and she swiftly follows up with a Leaf Blade sending him flying into the barrier.

    ¡°Ludicolo is down, please choose your next Pok¨¦mon, Gym Leader!¡± the referee calls.

    I grin and whoop, my fist raised.

    I¡¯ve gotten a lot more comfortable with the level of Pok¨¦mon battling in Sinnoh after the last few days of matches. After Cynthia, I had expected to have a bit more trouble but she really is the outlier everyone calls her. Well, I haven¡¯t faced the Elite Four, yet. Or Volkner, who is said to match them in strength. But from how everything is playing out, Giratina is going to play with him.

    Today, for my fourth badge, we have a bit of a break. I¡¯d apologize to Crasher Wake but we talked before the match and he was already expecting to lose. He said he¡¯d give it his best shot and that I shouldn¡¯t hold back, but really that would just be mean. I don¡¯t want to kill or injure his Pok¨¦mon.

    He¡¯s long sent out the next one, a Gyarados. With the ongoing rainstorm, his Thunders and Hurricanes are turning the arena into a really hazardous environment but Lili has fought enough of his species that I likely won¡¯t have to switch out for Lulu. She¡¯s already charging her Solar Blade, I can see the glow cutting through the rain.

    His energy-based Moves are easy to spot and she dances around them, only getting buffered by the edges of the sharp winds and lightning bolts. Then light erupts from her arm-leaf and pierces the violent darkness, clearing out water and wind alike. Lili stands tall and faces the Gyarados who roars in defiance, loosing a massive Hurricane towards her.

    She swings her arm twice in rapid succession, first up, with only a little energy to cut a gap into the wind, then releasing the massive attack in a downwards swing that reaches all the way to Gyarados. The not-currently-flying storm snake gets rammed into the ground as the water from the pool is pushed aside. I hear him groan in pain and there is a violent crack. I sigh in relief when I spot the shattered floor tiles.

    Gyarados is fine, as proven by him angrily shooting at Lili, the promise of a violent death in his eyes. Now he¡¯s flying. Lili chirps once and twirls, then swoops to his side just as he arrives and cuts along his scales with a Leaf Blade. Wake recalls him before he can hit the barrier.

    Lili stands tall and proud in the receding storm. The platform flails in the waves but she is completely unbothered by it. We¡¯ve done a good bit of training on top of water back in Hisui. It wasn¡¯t my favourite place to explore but much better than going into caves. Still, I can see her leaves twitching slightly. She¡¯s gotten paralysed and might have some involuntary spasms during the rest of the battle.

    Wake¡¯s next Pok¨¦mon is a Poliwrath. A close quarters specialist. I raise the Pok¨¦ Ball in my hand and Lili jumps back, barely avoiding a testing Bubble Beam and just before I recall her, another Rain Dance goes up and the storm picks back up again.

    Then Lulu hits the field and her roar drowns out the wind for a moment. Poliwrath suddenly looks incredibly terrified and Lulu smirks, showing her gorgeous fangs. Static electricity flares across her flanks and into the water.

    ¡°Rush in!¡± Wake calls out and Poliwrath almost melts into the water, zooming at my partner. Lulu scoffs and releases a Shockwave, then dives into the pool to follow it up with a point-blank Thunder at the dizzy Poliwrath.

    She chomps on the unconscious floating body and throws him out of the pool right in front of Wake before starting to tread water happily. She absolutely loves how powerful she is in water with most Pok¨¦mon living there weak to her main attacks.

    Wake grimaces, then sighs. He recalls Poliwrath and I can see a shimmer of hope in his eyes as a Gastrodon hits the field. Good choice, but sadly one we have a lot of practice with as well. And with the pool, Lulu has a good bit of distance to the ground which makes it more difficult for the really dangerous Moves to hit her.

    My electric cat Snarls, the Move a wonderful opening against energy-based battlers like Gastrodon. It¡¯s an East Sea Gastrodon, obvious by its green and blue body. Instead of the expected Ground Move, it starts to create a huge wave. I would think it was Surf it it wasn¡¯t for the telltale murky brown of Muddy Water. But again, the environment typically so conducive to Water Types plays against them here. Lulu simply dives, dodging the worst of the wave.

    She manages a Confuse Ray while submerged just before an Earth Power slams spikes of Ground Type Energy into her belly. I wince, then sigh in relief when she pushes off the newly created ground to leap out of the water. A Volt Switch backwards propels her towards the Gastrodon and moments later her fangs close around the Pok¨¦mon in a Crunch and the sea slug is thrown into the barrier. A quick close-in followed by a Giga Impact gives Gastrodon the rest and Wake¡¯s Pok¨¦mon is knocked out.

    ¡°Good job, girl!¡± I call out. Lulu yips happily and jumps back to my side of the arena with another Volt Switch. She¡¯s taken a bit of a beating and I want her to be ready to switch out, for which she needs to be close to the barrier right in front of me. All our practise pays off when Wake sends out a Quagsire right after the Gastrodon. Two counters to Lulu, not entirely unexpected, but with how weak they are to Lili I¡¯m still a little surprised.

    ¡°You¡¯ve shown you can beat a counter, I¡¯ll let you have the last match,¡± I say and Lulu nods.

    I switch out again and Wake grimaces. I half expect him to do the same, which would be the smart idea, but then Lili overwrites the rain with a twirl and a Sunny Day. She¡¯s halfway across the field, already cycling more Fire TE when Quagsire manages his Rain Dance only to be overwritten immediately. Lili smacks into him, landing a Leaf Blade but twitches as she moves in for the follow-up strike, the electricity running through her body coming back to hurt her just as the rain picks up again. Leaf Guard only really shakes off a status that¡¯s applied to her in the sun. If it¡¯s already on, even she has a tough time with it.

    I nod in respect at the second Rain Dance. Quagsire managed to use the Move while getting blasted by a doubly super effective Move. The Lili hits a second Leaf Blade and the weird frog-fish Pok¨¦mon goes down and Wake recalls him to let out his last battler. It¡¯s a Floatzel.

    Normally, I would be completely uncaring of a Floatzel. Even in my weakened state just after returning to the present, I¡¯d have been able to match most Floatzel with ease. This one is not one of them. This one is powerful. Even Lili stands up with respect and bows.

    Floatzel is absolutely ripped and not in the ¡®trained-a-ton¡¯ kind of way. He¡¯s ripped because of how much he fights. A muscle brain almost as bad as Lili. I half expect her to disregard the plan of letting both of my partners battle three of Wake¡¯s Pok¨¦mon but Lili chirps calmly and Floatzel nods. She isn¡¯t in her best condition and the weather favours him. While she could get another Sunny Day off, he¡¯d get a big hit in. They¡¯ve decided to battle some other day on even ground, muscle brain to muscle brain. Looks like I¡¯ll be spending some more time in Pastoria City the next time we visit.

    Lili calmly walks around the pool and I can hear the crowd whispering but Wake understands what his Pok¨¦mon wants and doesn¡¯t order an attack. I signal to the referee when recalling Lili and he calls out.

    ¡°Liligant can no longer battle, Challenger, choose your next Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Obviously, I send Lulu into the arena.

    Her beautiful roar invigorates me and I can see Floatzel perking up as well, rather than being intimidated. Even Wake stands tall, a last spark of hope in his eyes.

    For a few precious moments, the only sound in the arena is the rain pouring into the pool. Floatzel and Lulu, Wake and I, are perfectly still, our minds only on each other. Then Lulu bares her fangs and all hell breaks loose.

    Floatzel pushes off and disappears into the pool as Lulu sends a massive Thunderbolt into the spot he just left. She wastes no time and jumps, barely avoiding the wave of water shot forwards by his Surf. It splashes onto the barrier and obscures my vision for a seconds but a part of the move is that it carries its user with it and Floatzel is right next to me on the barrier.

    ¡°PUMP!¡± I shout as I see his throat bulge.

    I don¡¯t know if Lulu heard me or felt his TE building up but the Hydro Pump goes wide, only cracking the barrier on the other end of the field. Lulu answers with a roaring Thunder snaking through the storm and battering Floatzel. He drops to the ground as his wave recedes but stands tall, unbothered by the lightning and already gathering more Water TE around him.

    ¡°Charging!¡± I call out. Lulu is still hidden in the field, probably diving in the pool somewhere. She might see him, or she might hear me. I have to hold myself back from using our usual tells. I¡¯m not allowed to use any Moves while commanding the battle. Normally, I¡¯d be channelling Psychic TE to show her directly what¡¯s happening and even distract the Move but I don¡¯t want to be disqualified here. That would be unfair to Lulu.

    Without warning, Floatzel suddenly shoots into the pool, the water accepting him as if he didn¡¯t impact it at near super-sonic velocity. His Liquidation sends Lulu flying into the air where she cries out but the sparks across the surface are clear. She got her own Move off as well. And I can feel her energy still rising.

    She spends just a little bit to Volt Switch to my side of the field and dodge a Waterfall follow-up, then lands in front of me just as Floatzel drops back into the pool. That won¡¯t help him much against her infra-red vision but he isn¡¯t hiding. He immediately comes shooting back out with an Aqua Jet putting himself right next to Lulu and starts hammering at her with a series of Fighting and Normal Type Moves.

    Low Kick, Brick Break, Body Slam, Double Hit, and even a Double Edge push my partner back. Luckily, Lulu is used to facing a fighter like him and Lili is much faster than Floatzel. She manages to dodge most of his moves and puts less vulnerable parts of her body in the way of those she can¡¯t avoid. All the while, she is charging up more and more Electric TE.

    Then, she¡¯s ready.

    Lulu stops Floatzel¡¯s next Brick Break by biting into it with a Thunder Fang, the energies exploding and sending them apart. She is more prepared than him and steadies herself quicker, then lets out her Charge Up series of Thunders. Half a dozen balls of Electric TE explode out of her, blowing the last remains of the receding Rain Dance into fine mist. Floatzel¡¯s eyes widen as all six orbs violently release their energy. He isn¡¯t ready. He can¡¯t dodge.

    All six Thunders blast into the ground around him, most of the Electric TE disappearing into the ground. Still, I can easily see the electricity forking into Floatzel and shaking him violently. The attack has too much power for him to even scream in pain. It¡¯s over in just over a second and he collapses.

    My ears pop, partially clearing after the horrendous noise that Lulu¡¯s full-power blast creates. It¡¯s good I¡¯m used to it so I can recover quickly. I can see Crasher Wake shaking, his eyes wide. Then his partner groans and turns, trying to stand up. Floatzel is down but not completely out. Good. Lulu held back properly. I nod with a smile and look at the referee. The poor woman is staring open-mouthed, no wait, she¡¯s making chewing motions. She probably can¡¯t hear anything right now.

    I hear Wake laughing loudly, probably the only one in the room that can hear him right now, then he lifts his Pok¨¦ Ball and recalls his still-struggling Floatzel. He gives me a thumbs-up across the field and starts making chewing motions himself. I grin and giggle as the referee calls the match.

    <hr>

    ¡°Welcome to Floaroma Town!¡± Simon says grandly spreading his arms.

    Serena chuckles and smiles as she takes in the view. The famous ¡®capital of flowers¡¯ is one of the most beautiful places in all of Sinnoh, well known for its florists and the endless meadows of colourful blossoms all around it.

    ¡°Why, thank you,¡± she bows, half-mockingly, ¡°It really is gorgeous¡­¡±

    Simon lets his arms drop and nods.

    ¡°That it is. We still have an hour to go, though, so lets push on.¡±

    It¡¯s already getting late so Serena agrees and they keep going, silently enjoying the view from the hills around the town. Finally, they reach it and find the nearest Pok¨¦mon centre. It still has room for Trainers, though Simon has to pay for his as he¡¯s not on his journey. They agree to meet up in the lobby again after freshening up.

    Half an hour later, Serena has Nadya out with Simon¡¯s Pok¨¦mon while the two humans sit at a table with a simple traveller¡¯s dinner. Some hearty rice with a bit of meat and vegetables in a delicious honey sauce complimented by delicious fresh juice. It¡¯s made from some kind of sour berry and gives a wonderful contrast to the sweet meat.

    Simon is on his phone reading something on the internet when he suddenly chokes on the food. He coughs heavily and Serena quickly gets up to hit his back and help him get the food out of his airways. Once he¡¯s able to breathe again, she rubs his back.

    ¡°That¡¯s not where food is supposed to go, Simon,¡± she says, ¡°Feeling better?¡±

    He nods, still a bit distracted.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asks.

    He just points at his phone. She sees a video playing on loop, just a short fifteen second clip. It looks like a Pok¨¦mon battle only that she very easily recognizes the silver hair of her daughter standing in the arena and using Moves against a Mismagius and winning.

    She runs a hand down her face.

    ¡°Oh, Zoe. What have you gotten yourself into?¡± she mutters.

    Simon stares at her.

    ¡°You know her? You know Zoe Crones?¡±

    Serena pats his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s my daughter,¡± she says, ¡°Did you not pay attention when I introduced myself?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ but¡­ I thought¡­¡±

    She laughs and sits back down.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to call her later, see what she¡¯s been up to.¡±

    Simon gulps and shakes his head.

    ¡°Well, she just got her fifth black badge in as many days.¡±

    Serena¡¯s eyes narrow.

    ¡°I really have to call her, it seems.¡±

 018 Back to Form

    I wake up in pain. Something in my left side is stinging and my right shoulder feels like it spent a week sunbathing.

    ¡°Chan!¡± a cheerful voice speaks next to me. I pry open my eyes and smile at the Chansey looking down on my lying form. She pats my cheek and continues to administer what is probably some burn heal to my bare shoulder.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± I say, ¡°I should¡¯ve expected that from a Mismagius.¡±

    ¡°Chan, chansey!¡± my nurse nods seriously. She pats my wound and I can already feel my skin knitting itself back together.

    ¡°Thanks, Chansey.¡±

    She pokes my cheek and giggles before patting the bed.

    ¡°Chansey chan. Chansey sey.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll get some rest. I got the next match tomorrow morning, though.¡±

    She nods, then waves as she leaves the room.

    I think back to the fight earlier. Fantina was a lot more difficult to deal with than the other battles until now. She had her Ghost Types prepared to dance around Lili¡¯s close quarters style and my muscle brain got taken out by her third Pok¨¦mon. Lulu fared a bit better but got defeated by Fantina¡¯s last Pok¨¦mon, her ace Mismagius. I could¡¯ve sent out Giratina to finish the battle but I was itching to get into it myself and Lulu had landed a Thunder Wave and a Snarl before going down.

    It was a risk since I had no other Pok¨¦mon to take my place in the commanding position which meant if I lost, I¡¯d be unable to send in Giratina. But I wanted to battle. I¡¯d gotten more and more restless watching my partners in the arena and my energy had grown rapidly with all the high-level Moves thrown around. I wanted to know how far I¡¯d come. And so I stepped up.

    I took a page from the Hisui Zoroark and channelled Normal and Ghost Type Energy, giving me good offence and defence against Mismagius. Maybe should¡¯ve gone with Psychic or Electric for offence since I¡¯m more used to those but that was hindsight.

    Mismagius could tell my typing but it took Fantina a few seconds to understand what was happening when I stepped into the arena. That let me use a combination of Shadow Sneak and Shadow Ball to land a good opener. Mismagius pushed back, not needing Fantina¡¯s commands to respond to me. She landed a point-blank Thunderwave followed up by Magical Leaf which I only partially dodged.

    My second Shadow Ball was avoided but I was already next to her with Quick Attack and lashed out with a Shadow Punch. She just barely protected in time and her Mystical Fire burnt my shoulder, ruining my shirt in the process. Good thing I have enough spares.

    While she had managed to land some hits, mine were much more impactful and before Fantina could even say anything, I finished the battle with a Phantom Force and Hex combo, downing my opponent. The referee called the match and I almost collapsed then and there.

    Well, I just barely managed to limp over to my pack and eat a rawst berry to cure the burn and then I collapsed.

    The door opens again before I can take stock of the room and in come a Nurse Joy followed by none other than Fantina herself. I grin and wave, slowly at first to not strain my injuries. Surprisingly, they don¡¯t hurt at all.

    ¡°Good battle,¡± I say, ¡°You were well prepared.¡±

    Fantina glares at me but I can see the relief hidden by her mien.

    ¡°Miss Crones, how are you feeling?¡± Nurse Joy asks getting in between us.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. Just a few bruises but that¡¯ll buff right out. I got some more potions in my bag.¡±

    I look around and find it lying on the side table to my other side together with my Pok¨¦ Balls.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Joy doesn¡¯t look convinced, ¡°No, not okay. What gave you the idea that jumping into a battle like that is in any way an acceptable risk? Do you know how badly you could have been hurt? Be glad Leader Fantina¡¯s Mismagius held back properly. You might be dead, otherwise. You should be dead by all rights.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± said leader tries to interrupt but Joy goes right on.

    ¡°I will require you to undergo Pok¨¦mon safety training, especially proper battle conduct and wild Pok¨¦mon encounters. What do you think would happen if you run into a wild Pok¨¦mon and try that stunt? Do you think it would knock you out and bring you to the nearest city? You¡¯d be food for its young!¡±

    She takes a breath and I clap my hands twice.

    ¡°Okay, stop!¡± I say as I meet her eyes. She freezes like so many others when I put on my serious face. Over the years I learned to make even most wild Pok¨¦mon pay attention to me with just a glare. I¡¯ve faced enough power to be confident in myself and others can tell if I let them.

    ¡°Nurse, did you look up any information on me other than my name and the source of my injuries?¡±

    She blinks and opens her mouth only to look away and shake her head.

    ¡°No, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what you think. I¡¯ve faced this often enough. But I do have a PSIL-ID for a reason. The referee let me join the battle. Even Leader Fantina was made aware of it before the battle if protocol was followed.¡±

    I glance at her and hold myself for a moment.

    ¡°It was. I forgot in the heat of battle but I was informed before.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I smile, ¡°Now, Nurse Joy, thank you for worrying about me. I know you only have my best health in mind. But if I really was just a stupid kid, your approach would have only made me try it again out of spite. You should take a calm approach and try to see the patient¡¯s reason for their action before scolding them. At least to their face. Feel free to mouth off to your colleagues about my stupidity. You wouldn¡¯t be the first.¡±

    She looks as chagrined as she probably wanted me to feel and I pat her hand.

    ¡°Oh, and if your patient is not healed within a few hours from the kind of attacks that I took that¡¯s a good sign they didn¡¯t know what they were doing.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it ¡¯as only been a few hours?¡± Fantina asks and I finally notice her beautiful Kalos accent. Hisui and early Sinnoh didn¡¯t have many people from there but I have heard it a few times.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I got hit like that,¡± I smirk.

    ¡°Those were some strong moves. Are you¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Pok¨¦mon. I¡¯m also not fully human anymore. I¡¯m somewhere in between, I¡¯ve been told. You can ask Cynthia about it, she¡¯ll confirm.¡±

    ¡°She ¡¯as mentioned something of the kind,¡± she nods.

    Nurse Joy clears her throat and we turn to her.

    ¡°No matter if you knew what you were doing, I¡¯ll still need to do a proper check up. Gym Leader, please finish your business. You two can chat more after I am done with Miss Crones.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Fantina smiles and reaches for her shiny violet handbag. She digs out a small case and presents me with the Relic Badge. The three violet stones and the triangular silver block in their middle look gorgeous on the black metal plate.

    ¡°Challenger Zoe, for defeating my most powerful team you have earned the Black Relic Badge. Congratulations for overcoming this challenge. Wear it with pride and show the world your strength. You are one of the pillars of Sinnoh.¡±

    I smile awkwardly and accept it.

    ¡°Thank you, Gym Leader. I¡¯m going to try my best to keep up with your expectations. As long as you aren¡¯t rooting for me to replace Cynthia.¡±

    Fantina laughs.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll need a little more power than you¡¯ve shown to even have a chance at that.¡±

    ¡°That depends on if its a battle or a fight,¡± I smirk.

    ¡°You truly represent the values of this region I have come to love so much. I¡¯ll leave you in Nurse Joy¡¯s capable hands for now but we will talk more.¡±

    ¡°If not today, some other time,¡± I nod.

    As soon as she leaves, Nurse Joy goes into full professional mode and fusses over me. My side is still a little bruised but I just drink some of my hand-made potion and show her in real time how well it works on me. After I received the Legend Plate from Arceus I was more excited about the effectiveness of Pok¨¦mon healing items and berries than the ability to use Moves. Especially once Lili started putting me through my paces. Speaking of¡­

    I grab my Pok¨¦ Balls and let out Lili and Lulu, looking them over quickly. They¡¯ve already been treated by the Chansey and Nurses and they¡¯re fine. Lili is a bit grumbly but honestly, she knows Driftblim can explode after they get knocked out as an emergency defence mechanism. Neither of us expected it to be something a Pok¨¦mon could be trained for and the follow-up Hypnosis from Fantina¡¯s Gengar was enough to put her on her last legs.

    All in all, the battle went worse than expected but it didn¡¯t go horrible so I¡¯m happy with it. And my fingers are already itching for more. I meet Lili¡¯s eyes and she sees what I¡¯m thinking. Lulu just yawns and lies back down but my muscle brain nods and chirps. There¡¯s a little bit of relief on her face. I guess even someone like her gets exhausted from so many high-level battles in a row.

    <hr>

    Maylene looks at me and Lili standing in the challenger¡¯s position across from the arena and glares. She¡¯s definitely seen some of our previous battles and is prepared for a hard match. I am too. I¡¯m well rested and feeling even stronger than yesterday. Stepping into the arena brought me much closer to my old strength. I¡¯ll soon be where I was when I battled Arceus to get sent back to the future. Today, I¡¯m hoping to reach all the way.

    ¡°First Challenger of the day,¡± the referee says, ¡°Zoe Crones from Oreburgh City.¡±

    The stands are crowded, not a single seat free despite the early hour. With just three badges left it¡¯s a thirty-three percent chance to find me if you¡¯re early.

    ¡°This battle will be six on six, Elite Rules,¡± the referee continues, ¡°One carried item per Pok¨¦mon, no duplicates. The Challenger is the first to release their Pok¨¦mon. One switch per two minutes. Are the contestants ready?¡±

    Both sides nod. I told him what was going to happen before the battle so he isn¡¯t surprised to get the answer from Lili instead of me. My muscle brain has had a good few battles and deserves a day of rest. And then Lili chirps and waves me forward. I grin and start channelling my Type Energy. I¡¯m starting with Psychic and Fighting. The former for defence and utility in case I overestimated my speed though I hope I¡¯ll be able to keep up. The latter because I¡¯m itching to get in close and test myself.

    When Lili stays back in the challenger field and I step into the arena, the crowd goes silent. I crack my knuckles and my neck as I send a vicious grin to my opponent, then take a stance. It¡¯s one I learned from thousands of personal training sessions with Lili and other Fighting Types.

    Maylene narrows her eyes and frowns. She must¡¯ve been prepared for my Pok¨¦mon but me jumping into the arena was a new thing yesterday so she won¡¯t be ready. Well, she couldn¡¯t be with me having the Legend Plate and all. But she only takes a moment before going through with the Pok¨¦ Ball she had been holding already.

    With a pop-and-hiss sound, a somewhat unfamiliar form materializes. The Pok¨¦mon has a slim grey body with dexterous arms and a slightly oversized head. It¡¯s legs are covered in thick pink-ish bulbs that look like muscle tissue covered in hardened skin to me. There are yellow spots on its knees. A Medicham. Something I looked up but am not very experienced with. It¡¯s a Fighting and Psychic Type and mostly used to prep the field with barriers. Not incredibly strong but great at battlefield control.

    It settles into a stance and the referee calls to begin. Lili chirps a command that isn¡¯t entirely apparent, but she¡¯s really just playing Trainer. We¡¯ve never battled like this but she liked the idea of calling the shots even if I have no chance of understanding her in the middle of the battle.

    As expected, Medicham starts off with a Light Screen as I charge forwards. Fighting TE covers my hands and when the Reflect goes up, two rapid Brick Breaks smash the screens apart. I hear Maylene call out an attacking Move and swerve to the side to avoid the Psybeam sent my way. She probably thinks I¡¯m Ghost Type from what I showed yesterday so I¡¯m keeping my Psychic Moves back. The longer she doesn¡¯t suspect, the longer she won¡¯t let her Fighting Types use their most comfortable Moves.

    Medicham dodges backwards to avoid my third Brick Break and I use the space to throw in a quick Victory Dance. Obviously, I know Lili¡¯s signature Move even if it looks a bit awkward on me when I spin like a ballerina. I turn the momentum into a Low Sweep that Medicham dodges by levitating and have to drop all pretence and Teleport out of the way of its Thunder Punch.

    I end up right behind it and backflip, landing a brutal Axe Kick into Medicham¡¯s back sending it to the ground. Lili¡¯s chirp reaches my ear and urges me to finish it so I jump away from the retaliatory Low Sweep and blast Medicham with a Psychic. The mental connection established by the Move tells me exactly how painful it is and I let off just as my opponent is knocked out.

    Dropping my Fighting TE fully with another Victory Dance, I twirl back towards Lili. I have a few seconds to think as Maylene tries to figure out what to do next. I¡¯m still running Psychic and have one type free to counter any secondary ones. Lili¡¯s call actually helped me, against my expectation. It¡¯s kinda obvious in hindsight that a battler could never listen to the detailed instructions. I give my Pok¨¦mon simple signs of noise and body language so obviously they¡¯d be enough for me as well. We¡¯ll have to practise a few more of them. Maybe Lili can be the actual Trainer of our team?

    I shake my head when Maylene takes another Pok¨¦ Ball from her belt.

    ¡°What Typing are you even?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Whatever I want!¡± I throw back, though since I don¡¯t have a mic it¡¯s not loud enough for the audience to hear. Still, she shakes her head and sends out her next Pok¨¦mon. This is one I know. A Heracross. The Fighting Bug is a good choice to face my Psychic Type. My best bet here is Ghost or Flying. The latter is a bit mean but I still got five Pok¨¦mon to go through. I don¡¯t think I can hold anything back. I¡¯ll need to make the first hit count, though.

    Maylene starts giving commands, warning Heracross of what she¡¯s seen me do and I rush in again. My TE is cycling in a thick layer of Psychic to hide the Flying TE underneath. Heracross braces herself, a hint of hesitation in her face. I show my teeth and lash out, most of my Psychic TE forming a purple-pink blade as I swing my arm. She dodges my Psycho Cut nimbly with a Detect and retaliates with a Megahorn but my Teleport brings me right behind her. By that point, my Wing Attack is in full swing, literally, as ethereal wings of energy form around my arms and strike my opponent¡¯s back.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Heracross cries out while I use the moment to replace my used-up Psychic TE with Fighting TE and start into a rapid series of Fighting Moves. Brick Break, Drain Punch, Low Sweep, Axe Kick, and another Victory Dance for good measure. By this point, I¡¯m far too fast for Heracross to do anything but avoid the worst of my attacks. She takes chip damage with every exchange, desperately trying to disengage.

    Then I notice the Rock TE surging up behind me and push off the ground. When the Stone Edge only impales where I just stood as I leisurely stand a step above it, Heracross¡¯s eyes widen. She pushes off desperately and I let the Fly drive me right into her path. The Flying TE smashes her into the barrier in front of Maylene where she drops, unconscious.

    I get up with a roll and steady my breathing. My Flying TE is used up and I decide to wait for Maylene¡¯s next Pok¨¦mon before picking a new Typing. Lili chirps happily behind me and I give her a smile. I notice the crowd is murmuring quietly and quite a few people are looking rather scared for some reason but I ignore them when the tell tale pop-hiss of a Pok¨¦mon being released draws my attention back to the battlefield.

    My next opponent is a huge muscular humanoid with grey skin and four arms. His eyes narrow as Maylene pumps him up with a few words. I don¡¯t listen but Lili¡¯s calming chirp stops me from rushing in again. Right. Four arms against two is a heavy disadvantage. I have to take it slow and methodical, using and abusing every opening he presents.

    For a few moments, we carefully eye each other. This Machamp is pretty strong for a non-Alpha. I¡¯m not surprised, after all Maylene is a highly rated Gym Leader and some people challenge her for their sixth or seventh badge to get more experience in. He is standing steady, feet and all four hands ready to explode into action. The worst thing he could do to me is sandbag to build up a powerful Payback so I avoid using Psychic Type. I don¡¯t want to paralyse him and increase his strength either so no Electric Type. That only really leaves Grass. Sure, I used Flying against Heracross, but Machamp is pure Fighting Type. Without the double advantage, something I¡¯m well used to is a better option.

    Machamp shifts his left ankle and I rush towards it. My feet are filled with Grass TE and small sprouts of plants, mostly clovers and, well, grass, appear around them. He lifts both of his upper fists holding the lower arms ready for a grapple and shifts his torso to face my sideways approach. That¡¯s when I slam my heels into the ground and my Grassy Slide activates. Instead of slowing down, I shoot forwards. A Detect lets me avoid his grapple as my foot meets his heel with a burst of Grass TE. I spin underneath the follow-up punches and turn into a Low Sweep. He jumps, just a tiny bit, and clears my other foot.

    His lower hands slap together and slam down as I roll again. The wooden floor splinters with a huge cracking noise but I¡¯m already slashing his side with a Leaf Blade as the back of his upper-right hand slaps my spine. I tumble and roll with the momentum, then close the distance with another Grassy Slide.

    We keep exchanging strikes for a few endless seconds, both of us slowly taking damage. I¡¯m faster and able to land more hits, thanks to my Victory Dances. Bit by bit, Machamp¡¯s stamina is worn down. When I feel my Grass TE almost running out, I finally use Detect again to avoid a Cross Chop. That¡¯s when he suddenly bursts with Dark TE. I grin, another Grassy Slide shooting me to the other side of the arena as the Payback goes wide, shattering wood behind me.

    I stop my self horizontally on the arena¡¯s barrier and charge up on Psychic TE. Machamp roars in anger at his miss and charges at me. He knows he¡¯s losing, and he¡¯s lacking control. My Telekinesis lets me comfortably walk up the barrier, out of range of his fists unless he jumps. Which he does. A single overcharged Psybeam is enough to slam him back into the ground and I sit down on the vertical surface with a slight helping of Gravity to save on energy.

    The dust clears quickly and the referee declares the unconscious Machamp unable to fight. Maylene has stopped glaring and seems much more respectful as she recalls her partner. She takes a moment to consider her options then throws another Pok¨¦ Ball. This is one I know, as well. A monkey. A monkey with burning hair.

    The Infernape glares as Maylene mutters a few quiet words. I simply enjoy my moment of rest even as Lily chirps some unintelligible instructions to me. I smile at my friend and trainer and she rubs her head in exasperation, then points at the ground with an angry chirp. I don¡¯t see the point. Gravity is active and it¡¯ll stay for another few minutes on my half of the arena.

    I yelp as I¡¯m suddenly flung out of the arena. Normal gravity reasserts itself and I tumble on the ground, somehow ending up on my feet. I turn to Lili with a complaint on my lips but she is already throwing Lulu¡¯s Ultra Ball into the arena and the barrier is formed again. I pout but walk over and sit down next to her to catch my breath. Only then do I realize how winded I am. I¡¯d have been knocked out by this Infernape or the next opponent. Lili¡¯s just looking out for me.

    She turns to me and pats my head after giving Lulu some instructions. I smile and nuzzle into her side as we watch the Infernape attempting to take on an angry Alpha Luxray in an arena with messed up gravity.

    Our half still has it going towards us while the other half is normal. Lulu is dancing on the edge of the field, manoeuvring her opponent into the weird gravity. She doesn¡¯t have much of an issue with it, relying on her size to pull back into the normal field. She even makes use of it to dodge a few punches. It doesn¡¯t take long for Infernape to go down to a Thunder Fang.

    A glance at Maylene tells me she¡¯s somehow upset again but she manages to collect herself and throws out the next fighter, a Toxicroak. This will be easy for Lulu so I let my eyes wander while I continue to rest.

    The stands are full of confused faces slowly returning to normalcy. Maybe showing off in such a public environment was a bit much but it was fun. I smile and wave at a few kids sitting in the front rows and they start to excitedly chatter with each other. The adults seem much more concerned for some reason. Not that that¡¯s anything new to me. In the last years I¡¯d been regarded with fear from quite a few people that didn¡¯t know me well. Sinnoh was still very dangerous back then and I had three alphas on my team, two of them Dragons.

    There isn¡¯t much I can do about that right now so I ignore their looks. The battle between Lulu and Maylene¡¯s Toxicroak seems to have caught most of the spectators¡¯ attention anyway. By this point, gravity has returned to normal and they¡¯re dancing around each other, Lulu openly mocking her opponent. The Toxicroak is getting increasingly frustrated and when my Pok¨¦mon makes a mistake, a vicious Shadow Slash rips into her side.

    ¡°Ohh, that must¡¯ve hurt!¡± the announcer shouts as the crowd gasps. Lulu snarls angrily, a wide gash bleeding profusely on her side. Before the referee can call her out of the fight, she roars and a swarm of Thundershocks shoots out of her fur, covering the whole arena. I sigh and grab for my bag, handing Lili two Revives and Max Potions.

    When the dust clears both Pok¨¦mon in the arena are downed and badly injured, at least for a modern competition. We¡¯ve dealt with much worse in the field but the spectators are obviously scared, Maylene as well even if she hides it.

    Lili chirps to the referee and holds up the healing items. He takes only a moment to think before blowing his whistle and shouting into his mic.

    ¡°The match is interrupted due to injury. Healers on the field. Trainers are free to use healing items.¡±

    Lili chirps and jumps in and I quickly follow her. I see Maylene running towards Toxicroak. I take a Revive and a Max Potion from my partner and join her. Lulu¡¯s bleeding looks bad but it¡¯s a surface wound, Toxicroak might have heart-rhythm issues after such a massive Electric attack.

    I¡¯m just a step faster than the Gym Leader and quickly assess the situation. Toxicroak is breathing and has a pulse so that¡¯s good. I run a gentle trickle of Normal TE through her body following her own TE. There are quite a few interruptions but they¡¯re just a lack of TE rather than injury. I press the Revive to Toxicroak¡¯s chest and activate it as I look up.

    ¡°She¡¯s fine, just bottomed out,¡± I say to Maylene, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll make it.¡±

    The Gym Leader is looking nervous but I can see she has at least some trust in my words and calms down a little. A team of Chansey arrives in the meantime and I turn to the two that step up next to us.

    ¡°Pulse and breathing normal,¡± I report, ¡°TE flow interrupted due to lack of Energy. Stabilizing with Normal until the Revive does it¡¯s work.¡±

    The Chansey nod and start chatting while pulling out some instruments. One of them puts her fins on Toxicroak and helps me with the stabilizing. And probably double-checking my work. I¡¯m fine with it. While I¡¯m a decent emergency medic, I¡¯m no professional healer. I¡¯m definitely worse than a Nurse Joy even with my ability to use Moves and Type Energy to aid healing.

    I glance at Maylene again and she¡¯s smiling softly now. She meets my eyes and nods in thanks.

    A few minutes later, the Revive has taken its course and Toxicroak is awake again, if weak. One of the Chansey spent the time testing my hand-made Max Potion and is now happily administering it to the patient. Maylene is holding her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s hand. I look back at Lulu who is already fit again. The wound is still visible but healed and they didn¡¯t even need the Revive. Lili chirps happily at me.

    ¡°You can really do everything, huh?¡± Maylene asks and I turn back to her. Her microphone has luckily been turned off already.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lived in the wilderness more than in cities. I had to learn this or watch my friends die.¡±

    She frowns heavily.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad out there. I¡¯ve trained on the slopes of Coronet.¡±

    ¡°The slopes are where the prey hides from the Dragons.¡±

    ¡°Garchomp aren¡¯t that common. Especially away from Wayward Cave.¡±

    ¡°That place has a small population, yeah. The real ones live near the mountain top. And there are other species hiding in the depths of the mountains, usually higher up. Ever been out at night?¡±

    ¡°In the wild? A few times.¡±

    ¡°Ever faced a swarm of angry Crobat?¡±

    ¡°Crobat don¡¯t evolve in the wilderness.¡±

    ¡°Not often. But the caves are massive. Even I don¡¯t go in there too deep. Shit¡¯s scary.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    She doesn¡¯t seem convinced but is distracted by Toxicroak sitting up. The Chansey check him over again before letting Maylene know that he¡¯s fine but still needs more rest. I feel a spark as someone nuzzles my hair and step to the side. Lulu gives me a thankful nod and then meets Toxicroak¡¯s eyes. The two Pok¨¦mon watch each other for a moment before my partner lowers herself to the ground in an apology. Toxicroak follows suit by bowing deeply and they exchange some quiet words as the Chansey lead them away. I hand one of them a few Sitrus Berries and she thanks me happily.

    I turn to Maylene and pat her shoulder.

    ¡°Ready to finish this match?¡±

    She looks sheepish.

    ¡°Sorry for having my Pok¨¦mon go out of control.¡±

    ¡°She was desperate for the win and hit a little harder than expected. Nothing to worry about, we¡¯ve dealt with way worse. I should apologize for Lulu going too far in retaliation. She isn¡¯t used to modern battling.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ yeah,¡± she smiles, ¡°Apology accepted.¡±

    ¡°Same,¡± I grin back.

    ¡°Trainers, please return to your positions,¡± the referee calls out and we move. After getting back to our sides he speaks up again, ¡°After consulting with my co-referee and the nurses, we¡¯ve decided to issue no punishments this time. Both Gym Leader Maylene Lillis and Challenger Zoe Crones receive one warning for excessive aggression. Does anyone object to that outcome?¡±

    I shake my head, so does Maylene. The referee nods with a smile.

    ¡°Good. Injuries can happen. Don¡¯t let them get in the way of healthy competition and properly train your Pok¨¦mon. Are both sides willing to continue the match?¡±

    We nod again, Lili joining in this time. When Maylene sees my Pok¨¦mon still standing in the Trainer position she groans.

    ¡°After this you¡¯re still going to fight yourself?¡± she asks through her reactivated mic.

    Instead of an answer I simply Teleport into the arena and raise myself with a Telekinesis. I make sure to put on a show and make my hair and clothes flutter in non-existent wind.

    ¡°Come at me!¡± I say and make the appropriate motion with my hand.

    Maylene steels her eyes and snarls a ¡°Fine!¡± into her mic before letting out her last Pok¨¦mon. It¡¯s an absolutely beautiful and monstrously muscular Lucario. Before the referee can even call for the battle to resume, I¡¯m already on Fighting TE. I could¡¯ve tried to keep my distance with Fire or Ground easily enough but I got mobility and ranged attacks with Psychic so I¡¯m going to be fine. Hopefully. If not, Lili can always let Giratina out to play.

    ¡°The match will resume in three¡­ two¡­ one¡­ GO!¡±

    At the referee¡¯s shout, I immediately Teleport behind Lucario and swing with a Brick Break. It goes wide as he already stands where I just was. I can only see the shockwave of him moving and use Detect the moment he turns around. Sure enough, I just barely manage to avoid the second Extreme Speed.

    I use a quick one-two punch to push him back which he guides away from his torso and then land a Psychic that makes him cringe in pain. He still manages to hit back with a Crunch. His teeth clamp down around my shoulder and he swings his neck, throwing me into the air. I use Telekinesis to rise further and sweep the area with a Psybeam. He spins around it and jumps, just coming short with his Meteor Mash. As he starts to fall, I speed up my drop with Telekinesis and slam an Axe Kick on his back and he impacts the ground painfully.

    Lucario turns around on the ground before I can land on him and shoots an Aura Sphere at me that grazes my side even after I push myself out of the way with Telekinesis. I blast out one final Psychic just as the follow-up Dark Pulse connects but my Psychic TE is used up so the Dark Move is no longer effective.

    As I land, Lucario is already standing. I rush in again and we start another exchange of melee attacks. I see the smile on his snout and feel myself mirroring it. He dodges my Drain Punch while I jump over his Low Sweep. Then we both descend into Close Combat. We lose all inhibitions and spend every strike we can to do as much damage as possible. For a few seconds fists impacting bodies is all that¡¯s on our minds.

    I draw on the Legend Plate and start channelling as much Fire TE as possible. Lucario realizes but he can¡¯t pull away from me. Just as the mutual Close Combat ends, I let out the most powerful Fire Type Move I know. The Blast Burn explodes with infernal fury, heat razing the remaining wood left in the arena. I make sure to shoot the fire as far as possible and grin when I feel it bounce off the barriers. In the roaring flames, I can barely hear anything else. The heat singes my clothes but thanks to it being my Move, it won¡¯t burn me.

    When the Move ends, I¡¯m glad that I judged my power well. Spreading it out over such a wide area was not only to guarantee the hit but also to weaken the attack. Lucario is down on one knee on the other side of the arena. He¡¯s breathing heavily and his fur is singed. His arms are crossed defensively and the steel spikes on the backs of his hands are glowing a deep red colour. He looks up at me and snarls. I channel the last of my Fighting TE for a Detect but no Move comes out. Then Lucario buckles and his eyes close.

    The referee calls the match just as I¡¯m about to collapse. Lili jumps into the arena and hands me my bag. I dig out a Sitrus Berry and start to dig in, feeling some of my energy return. Slowly, my brain starts to register the crowd¡¯s noise. There is roaring applause as Lili raises my hand and I feel a smile creeping onto my face.

    I did it. I¡¯m back in form. Well, mostly. I¡¯m still not on the level where I could keep up with Arceus but I¡¯m back to where I feel safe exploring remote areas of wilderness. Time to find Goopy. Then I see Maylene walking up to me. Okay. I¡¯ll find Goopy after the badges. It¡¯s just two more days and tomorrow Lili is going to have fun against Byron¡¯s Steel Types.

    Maylene hands me the badge under the crowd¡¯s cheering and pats my uninjured shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re way too strong,¡± she shakes her head ¡°But that¡¯s fine. You¡¯re also a good person.¡±

    I look over the people. There are a lot more smiles than earlier when Lulu was fighting. It seems getting accepted by the healers did a lot of good for my reputation.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say ¡°For the battle, and the kind words.¡±

    Maylene gives me a quick hug, then her face turns serious.

    ¡°Thanks for helping Tox. Here¡¯s your badge and your TM. Join me in the Centre?¡±

    I nod and we¡¯re off. Maylene leads me through the backrooms of the Gym which I¡¯m grateful for after seeing the crowd of reporters in front of the main entrance. Mes joins us moments before we get to the Centre and settles on my head. The Heal Pulse she uses starts working on the bruises and gashes. The worst of it is probably Lucario¡¯s Crunch. The puncture wounds from his teeth are just starting to scab over.

    ¡°Say, Zoe. Where did you learn to fight like that?¡± Maylene asks.

    ¡°Well, I may have the Trainer license but I¡¯m more of a researcher. Lili is the primary trainer of my team. She taught me to fight as well, mostly using all the Pok¨¦mon I caught for research that she was training.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Wait, you¡¯re a researcher?¡±

    ¡°Official Lab-Trainer, now that I¡¯ve got six badges.¡±

    ¡°Neat. Well, how about you join us for a sparring session sometimes? I¡¯m sure my team would be happy to have you and Lili around.¡±

    I smile.

    ¡°Sure. I got two more badges to get and I¡¯ll be joining my friends on their journey after that. But with Mes I can just come by whenever I want.¡±

    ¡°You can Teleport yourself,¡± she grumbles into my mind. She never liked me getting hurt. I laugh.

    ¡°Mes, you want me to get stronger. Training with Maylene¡¯s team will help with that.¡±

    She just turns away and returns focus to healing me.

    A nurse steps up with a Chansey next to her and guides us into the back. They start fussing over me and Maylene¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. Lulu and Toxicroak are in the room as well, resting under the watchful eyes of another Chansey. When the nurses are finally done with me and Maylene is satisfied with the state of her team, she looks at me awkwardly. I smile to encourage her.

    ¡°Um,¡± she tries then looks away. After a moment, she gathers her wits and turns back to me ¡°So, I heard some things about you,¡± she says.

    ¡°Oh?¡± I muse ¡°What things? And who might have told you?¡±

    ¡°We had a meeting shortly before the season start. With the Gym Leaders and Elite Four.¡±

    I smirk.

    ¡°I assume Cynthia was there as well?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°What did she tell you?¡±

    ¡°That you¡¯re much older than you look. And that you¡¯re stronger than her. I think I get what she means, now.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t believe her before?¡±

    ¡°Not really. But if you can match Luca like that and Lili is the one who taught you? Yeah. I believe it.¡±

    ¡°I travelled a long time,¡± I say, suppressing a smirk at the double meaning ¡°It was an exhausting trip. I¡¯m still not up to where I was before but I¡¯m getting close. I was able to match Lili. Mes wants me to get back to that. All the energy thrown around in the battles these last few days let me catch up most of the way.¡±

    ¡°Huh. So the part about time travel was also true?¡±

    I laugh. I didn¡¯t expect Cynthia to keep it a secret from the leaders. But that Maylene just wrote it off as false was kinda funny. Some of the others probably paid it more attention.

    ¡°Yes, it is. You¡¯ll see my friend that helped me make the trip soon. They want to battle at least once. Volkner¡¯s gonna be the one to have the honour, most likely.¡±

    Maylene shudders.

    ¡°Can you at least tell me what Pok¨¦mon it is?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Go find out for yourself.¡±

    ¡°And here I thought we were friends,¡± she pouts.

    I¡¯m the first to break out into giggles and soon we¡¯re a mess of happy tears and weird noises. It¡¯s nice to meet new people.

 019 Changes

    The scent of coffee fills the conference room. It makes for a slightly discordant scene as the Gym Leaders and Elite Four are filling their mugs with the black liquid. Volkner is the only one sitting still while the others hold stifling conversations about nothing in particular. He is also the only one without drink.

    His eyes roam over his colleagues, not truly seeing them. Still, their mood registers somewhere in his subconscious and it ticks him off. Finally there¡¯s someone that can provide a challenge to the top of Sinnoh¡¯s Pok¨¦mon League and all they do is squabble to hide their fear.

    Someone sits down next to him and he jolts.

    ¡°You good?¡± Maylene asks, ¡°Want a drink?¡±

    He shakes his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Something in her eyes is different. She smirks and gives his shoulder a fist bump. It stings.

    ¡°Looking forward to tomorrow?¡±

    Oh. That¡¯s what this is about.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he grins, ¡°Don¡¯t spoil it.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it. I¡¯m looking forward to your destruction.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna fold over like everyone else.¡±

    Maylene shrugs.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say we folded over. Well, except Byron maybe? He kinda didn¡¯t try all that hard.¡±

    He snorts.

    ¡°Sorry, that was unintentional. Anyway, want to run your plan by me?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    She leans back and takes a sip of coffee. Hers is almost white with all the milk and sugar she added.

    The door opens and everyone stops their conversations as Cynthia walks in. Behind her is the President of the League Competition Committee, Charles Goodshow. They greet the room before taking their spots at the head of the table. Everyone else settles down into their chairs as well.

    ¡°This emergency meeting was called by Champion Cynthia concerning this season¡¯s competition,¡± Mr Goodshow begins, ¡°Champion, I can assume what you want to talk about but please enlighten us to your thoughts.¡±

    Volkner never liked the man¡¯s flowery words. At least he¡¯s a decent guy otherwise, as long as you don¡¯t expect him to put up a fight.

    ¡°Thank you, Charles. It¡¯s a day early, sorry Volkner, but this was the only time for everyone to get together in person. I am concerned about Miss Crones impact on this season¡¯s competition. We will have to put in some effort to make the Conference worthwhile for the spectators.¡±

    Gardenia shakes her head.

    ¡°I get it but how?¡±

    Already given up, Volkner thinks to himself. They aren¡¯t even trying anymore.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start by sharing our impressions of Zoe and her Pok¨¦mon,¡± Cynthia says, ¡°Byron, you matched her just earlier today. What did you think?¡±

    The oldest of the Gym Leaders sighs wearily.

    ¡°It¡¯s not possible for me to keep up with her. If the top Trainers catch up to her, I¡¯ll have to resign or hand out Black Badges like candy.¡±

    Cynthia smirks.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the only one in this room. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Right. Well, I¡¯d suggest more free time to train but I don¡¯t know how we¡¯d go about that realistically.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me and Gardenia that have the majority of first Badge matches,¡± Roark says, ¡°Everyone else should already have enough time to train.¡±

    Volkner nods and he notices Maylene agreeing next to him.

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s one point. We can work with that. Maylene, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± the young woman is a little flustered to be called on the spot, ¡°Well, training is good and all but how much progress do you really make all by yourself? I mean, Zoe has trained with a ton of different Pok¨¦mon and people.¡±

    Volkner scoffs. What can weak Trainers provide? Sure, if Cynthia or the Elite Four work with him he¡¯d be able to improve but other than that?

    ¡°So,¡± Maylene says, ¡°The top Trainers are already organizing a training camp. Ryan Zhang contacted me to join them and provide training for and against Fighting Types. I¡¯m planning to go. I¡¯ve also got Zoe to agree to sparring whenever she comes back to Veilstone.¡±

    ¡°What about the battle facilities?¡± Flint asks.

    ¡°Stark Island?¡± Cynthia nods, ¡°That could work. They¡¯re more about tourism but we can probably find some good Trainers from other regions there.¡±

    ¡°I gotta say, I like the idea of having more matches with Zoe,¡± Gardenia says.

    Volkner looks at her in surprise. She was one of the Leaders destroyed the hardest. And she still wants to go again? Maybe he underestimated her¡­

    ¡°Right,¡± Mr Goodshow claps his hands, ¡°So we¡¯ve got training camps with top Trainers, Trainers from outside the region, and matches with Miss Crones. We also have to solve the time constraints of Roark and Gardenia specifically, and anyone else as they come up. Any other ideas?¡±

    Bertha smirks.

    ¡°How about going out to find some Pok¨¦mon of Legend?¡±

    The rooms breaks out in laughter. Even Volkner has to chuckle. Sure, they all know about what happened on the Red Night but nobody in their right mind would seek out Pok¨¦mon like that. It¡¯s impossible to control them.

    Then he notices Cynthia isn¡¯t laughing. A sense of foreboding creeps over his spine but he shakes it off.

    ¡°Tobias does have Darkrai and Latios,¡± the Champion points out, ¡°Before he started competing, those were believed to be myths and legend. I wouldn¡¯t write that option off, if you have the time to chase after them. But don¡¯t believe they will immediately push you to my level.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Bertha nods, ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±

    Cynthia just smirks.

    ¡°Now then,¡± Mr Goodshow says, ¡°Let¡¯s get the details hashed out. I would love for a competitive Lily of the Valley Conference, not just this year but for a long time to come.¡±

    The Leaders and Elite Four nod, some more seriously than others. Volkner doesn¡¯t pay much attention, instead thinking about his upcoming battle. Tomorrow, he will finally have a challenge. Why, he might not need to ask the Elite Four or Cynthia for matches anymore, or at least less often. As long as Zoe Crones is the real deal.

    <hr>

    Sven stares at the screen. He is sitting in the common room in the Pok¨¦mon Centre open-mouthed and his brain attempting to reboot. His phone shows a black background and a circular arrow, quietly prompting him to rewatch the video. With a shaking finger, he taps it. Once more, his brain grinds to a halt as the girl he liked the most out of any girl steps into the arena.

    It takes until the third rewatch that he can finally start paying attention to the match. Zoe is fighting a Pok¨¦mon. She isn¡¯t just fighting, she¡¯s winning. And not just any Pok¨¦mon, a Gym Leader¡¯s personal Pok¨¦mon. And then a second one. And a third.

    He gulps. Something in his stomach churns. This wasn¡¯t the girl he knew. The month away had changed her drastically. But the way she stands tall after the match, clothes dirty and punctured from taking moves, she isn¡¯t any less beautiful. No, amazing. Beautiful just doesn¡¯t cut it.

    And she is completely out of his league.

    Sven leans back and lets his head drop on the backrest. He stares blankly at the ceiling, his mind attempting to find a way to connect with his crush. Because that¡¯s what this was, right? A crush? Or was there more? He couldn¡¯t tell anymore. She¡¯s pretty and friendly (most of the time) and apparently insanely strong. He feels his adoration shift away from desire as it grows and grows.

    Then his phone rings and he yelps, almost throwing it into the room.

    With a sigh of relief, he turns it over to see his friend is calling.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, Henry?¡± he says into the speaker.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± his friend asks.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Still think you got a chance with her?¡± Henry aborts a chuckle but Sven can still hear it.

    ¡°Fuck off. Okay, yeah. That was insane. Not gonna push it. But she¡¯s still cute.¡±

    He can practically her his friend¡¯s eye roll.

    ¡°Right, you and your fixations. But seriously, what do you think? About the match?¡±

    ¡°¡­ insane,¡± he mutters, ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see something like that.¡±

    ¡°Same. Was she always like that?¡±

    Sven pauses for just a moment, then shakes his head.

    ¡°Nah. Definitely not. You know how she failed on her first journey. Single Badge? And now this? She¡¯s probably been training in secret. Who knows how long¡­¡±

    ¡°True. She probably used the month away for the last bit of training.¡±

    Sven blinks, then narrows his eyes.

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she tell anyone?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯re you saying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying. Is she even the real Zoe?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. I was freaking out about that but¡­¡±

    Henry trails off and Sven can hear someone taking in the background. A moment later his friend returns to the phone.

    ¡°Sorry, gotta hang up. Jane¡¯s done with her shopping. Anyway, check Battle Net. See ya in a bit!¡±

    The phone beeps as Henry hangs up. With a less numb but still confused mind, he turns to look at his phone again. It takes him a moment to pull up Battle Network with his shaking fingers and when he does, he quickly navigates to the search bar. Then he freezes. There¡¯s a pinned post on top of the page. The poster is none other than Cynthia herself. It¡¯s titled: Regarding Concerns of League Integrity.

    He almost dismisses it but something makes him click. Probably the fact that the Champion of Sinnoh made the post instead of some official League PR account. And as he reads through it, he¡¯s happy he did. Because Cynthia is talking about none other than his classmate Zoe Crones. Or, well, her most recent matches.

    <hr>

    Boards > Sinnoh_League > Announcements

    > Topic: Regarding Concerns of League Integrity

    > HistoryForLife (Champion Cynthia) (History Enthusiast)

    Good afternoon, Trainers of Sinnoh.

    You¡¯ve all had a few days to watch the newest challengers come into their stride and I¡¯ve heard some concerns about the League¡¯s structure and specifically the Gym Leaders¡¯ quality. I am, of course, talking about Miss Zoe Crones and her incredible achievement of gathering seven Black Badges in as many days. Now, let me tell you, I have zero doubts she will get her last Badge tomorrow. Volkner couldn¡¯t expect what she will present him with. Just like I didn¡¯t expect her to knock out my Togekiss with a kick to the back.

    And there you have it. Nobody is really wondering whether Miss Crones will get her Badges. No, people are worried that it was much too easy for her. That our Gym Leaders should provide a greater challenge. And that reflects badly on those who put them in their positions, namely the Elite Four and myself.

    I want you to consider something. Out of all the professional Trainers, how many have more than two Black Badges? How many of you out there have even heard of Black Badges before Miss Crones took to the stage? You can look them up, they¡¯re in the official League database as well as the competitor wiki. To spare you a search, there is no requirement for the Elite Four to have a complete set of Black Badges. If there was, we wouldn¡¯t have enough Trainers to fill the positions.

    It is not our Gym Leaders who are weak, but Miss Crones who is strong. I have personally battled her in a friendly match. Both of us used two Pok¨¦mon. It was close. Please remember that before insulting our officials and my ability to discern Trainer quality.

    Now, for those of you who have tasted a hint of strength, I have some good news. Today, the League officials came together in an emergency meeting concerning the Conference. It is a boon that Miss Crones has shown her strength so early. Had she not, she could have swept the competition without any challenge. This way, everyone that wishes to compete has a chance to train like they never trained before.

    For this, the League has decided to open a special training program. Each Gym Leader will host a training camp, potentially more, for anyone that has at least one Black Badge or a full set of Gold Badges. Each Elite Four will do the same for anyone with at least two Black Badges. And I will personally host a training camp for those with three or more. The League website will have a new function to sign up for all eligible Trainers. Once enough have done so, the host will set a date.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    You may also organize your own training camps and invite Gym Leaders or Elite Four members. They will join you on their discretion, if they find it productive. The forms will be in the same spot as the sign up for the official camps and allow anyone to set up training for a group of their strength. This way, we hope to provide a proper challenge for Miss Crones at the Conference, before she has to face me. I am looking forward to it.

    Oh, one last thing. I and Professor Rowan have independently confirmed that Zoe Crones is human, for those who were wondering. The reason she can use Moves is unknown, to us, but she has made the best of it. Please do not harass her. I consider her a friend.

    Stay steady and grow strong, Trainers of Sinnoh,

    Your Champion Cynthia

    <hr>

    Sven halts, then shakes his head and reads through the announcement again. Zoe was able to match Cynthia in battle? That means something has to be wrong. Whatever it is, Zoe is still human. That doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s the real one.

    Then he smacks his forehead. Of course. There is only one explanation. Something absurd like people using Pok¨¦mon Moves is like in the fictional stories you can find all over the internet. It was a dark time when he enjoyed reading that crap instead of training. However, it comes in handy now. There is only one way Zoe could be able to use Moves. A Legendary Pok¨¦mon. She had to have met one, maybe even caught one. That special Liligant-like one might be it. Or the secret Pok¨¦mon she has alluded to.

    Sven starts scrolling down the comments and quickly turns off his phone. People were being all kinds of weird and saying nothing of importance. He opens his note app and starts writing down some theories. He¡¯d have to double check which of the things he remembers are actual legends that the people of Sinnoh or other regions told and separate them from the fiction ideas.

    Sven hears someone call out to him. He looks up and waves lazily at his friends. Henry and Jane sit down at the table and take out some snacks, releasing their Pok¨¦mon to join them. Henry¡¯s Roselia starts chatting up Sven¡¯s Luxio while Teddiursa sits in Jane¡¯s lap and picks at the honey cookies.

    ¡°We got everything now, right?¡± Henry says, ¡°Cause I don¡¯t want to run out for shopping again. Not until Jubilife at least.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± Jane agrees, ¡°I just had to stock up on that dried meat Zoe recommended.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Sven turns to look at her and she rolls her eyes.

    ¡°You¡­ Yes, I¡¯m talking to her. Or more like chatting. I asked her about care tips for Teddi and we went out a few days before the season start to look at things he might need. She says he¡¯s close to evolving so I want only the best for him.¡±

    ¡°Ted!¡± her Pok¨¦mon hums and leans into his Trainer.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re friends on Battle Net?¡± Sven asks.

    ¡°Yes? So what?¡±

    He sits up, his mind trying to find the right words when Jane shakes her head.

    ¡°Hell no. You got her phone number. Just send her a text, coward.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t just do that!¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can. She¡¯s a person like any other girl.¡±

    ¡°Who also beats up Gym Leader Pok¨¦mon barehanded,¡± Henry throws in.

    Jane rolls her eyes.

    ¡°Honestly, boys. Beat ¡®em up once and they¡¯re scared to talk to you.¡±

    Sven aborts a nod.

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s the real Zoe?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jane asks.

    ¡°I mean, she was never like that before she¡­ disappeared. The teachers said everything was cleared up but¡­ I¡¯m worried.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s different, I¡¯ll leave you that. But she travelled the wilderness. Pretty sure that¡¯s just about to be expected when you go out there.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Did she tell you where she went?¡±

    ¡°Not in detail.¡±

    ¡°But she told you before she left?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Or she told anyone else?¡±

    ¡°Um, not that I know of? Her parents were at the school asking if anyone knew where she disappeared to.¡±

    ¡°And why didn¡¯t she tell anyone? Unless she wasn¡¯t able to?¡±

    ¡°Not that I know of.¡±

    ¡°See? Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± Sven waves his arm ¡°She should¡¯ve told her parents¡¯ at least. I know she cares about them.¡±

    ¡°And the Champion knows where she went,¡± Henry says ¡°Or at least trusts her.¡±

    That brings him short. Sven leans back and rubs his forehead.

    ¡°Okay, okay. It can¡¯t be that bad but I¡¯m still worried.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a little worried too,¡± Jane says.

    ¡°And you still argued?¡± Sven smirks.

    ¡°A little. Anyway, you guys ready for your matches?¡±

    They happily take the change of topic. Training and Gyms are much easier to talk about and they only have a few more days before they all try for their first Badge. Roark was always a challenge, though never insurmountable.

    <hr>

    ¡°¡­ young Lady. Have you thought about that at all? The consequences of your actions should be considered before stepping up. Especially like that. And then! I can¡¯t even reach you on your phone! What do you have to say for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Muuum¡­¡± I groan ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡±

    I can see her holding back another tirade. The vid call is sadly a high quality with both of us in cities and not travelling. I won¡¯t be able to claim a bad connection and hang up.

    ¡°Yes, I should¡¯ve considered. No, I don¡¯t really care. It¡¯s just a lot of fun, you know? And I¡¯ve been catching up to my old strength really quickly with all the battles around me.¡±

    ¡°Sweetie,¡± Mum sighs. The tears in her eyes make my gut churn ¡°I¡¯m just scared for you. Please don¡¯t scare me like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mum. I¡­ I¡¯ll come visit you after tomorrow¡¯s match, okay? Will you still be in Floaroma?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she takes a deep breath ¡°Yes, I will. Thank you, sweetie. I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you too, Mum,¡± I say and give her an air kiss. She smiles and hesitates a moment, then hangs up.

    Mes cuddles into my arms and Lili gives us a hug from behind.

    ¡°Hurt?¡± my friend asks in my head.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mes,¡± I say out loud ¡°Just¡­ emotional. Mum had some bad experiences with wild Pok¨¦mon I think. She never really told us. Maybe Dad knows?¡±

    Lili chirps and gently pats my head. The room in the Pok¨¦mon Centre is too small to let Lulu out or I¡¯d be sinking in her fur right about know. Instead, I shift us to the bed where our cuddle pile plus blanket slowly helps me calm down.

    I didn¡¯t mean to scare Mum. And now that I know how she feels, I can¡¯t help but wonder who else was scared for me? My friends probably saw the video as well. I hadn¡¯t even thought about the fact that Gym Matches were recorded and available to the public for reference. For a moment, I think about checking Battle Network to see what everyone thinks about me but then I decide against it. I¡¯m not a battler at heart. I¡¯m a researcher. I am going to be travelling with my friends, help them train their Pok¨¦mon, and find the time to look for my old friends in between. And maybe some new friends as well.

    Speaking of, I take out Gligar¡¯s Pok¨¦ Ball and release him. Mes hangs on my neck as I get up to pick up my newest friend.

    ¡°Gli?¡± he looks up at me. I lift him by his sides and nuzzle the side of his head.

    ¡°Hey, buddy. How are you feeling?¡±

    He squirms a little and looks away. I hear him mumble and put him down. His claws click on the linoleum floor as I sit next to him. Lili joins us, crossing her legs.

    ¡°Gligar,¡± I say, ¡°You don¡¯t have to protect me. I have Lili for that. So don¡¯t be worried about being too weak or anything like that. There are plenty of Pok¨¦mon in the wild that you could challenge with ease. And you can keep up with Min¡¯s Diglett and Ponyta. They¡¯ve been training for a while. Even Pok¨¦mon that live with humans don¡¯t often get as strong as we are. And you don¡¯t have to keep up, you know?¡±

    His head snaps to me and he snarls, then snaps his jaw.

    ¡°But you want to,¡± I smile ¡°And I get that. It¡¯s fun to be strong. It feels great when you don¡¯t have to be scared of random Pok¨¦mon coming after you because you know you¡¯ll be able to deal with them. But it takes time to get there. It took me a decade. Lili and Lulu also spent years growing stronger. Just to challenge them, you¡¯ll need to put in a lot of effort. You have the advantage of training with us, though.¡±

    He tilts his head with a questioning ¡°Gligar, gar?¡±

    ¡°We can help you grow strong quicker. You know how Pok¨¦mon gain power by battling each other? That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to do. But you can also train with someone that¡¯s already strong. Not only can we show you how to better use your Moves, you¡¯ll also be exposed to our energy. Rivalry and competition breed strength like nothing else. So, train with us. Don¡¯t lose hope. You¡¯re our friend and partner and we will help you.¡±

    Lili chirps in support and pats his claw. Gligar looks between us, then at Mesprit. The little lake spirit floats over to him and pats his head, gently talking to him. I meet Lili¡¯s eyes and we grin at each other. Mes is wonderful at motivating people and especially Pok¨¦mon. After all, she¡¯s been through the same emotions many times in her life. The world is always growing, always improving, and so are its Trainers and Pok¨¦mon. And yet the ceiling is still so far away.

    I¡¯ve long stopped chasing after the likes of Arceus and Giratina. Their true forms are impossible to surpass. But I still enjoy being able to do things without worrying about lacking the strength to do it. Climbing the Coronet Highlands or exploring Firespit Island is fun. Learning about the Pok¨¦mon that live there and how they interact without any humans to guide or control them is incredibly interesting. I really want to explore the depths of Sinnoh once again and see all that¡¯s changed since I returned.

    Soon.

    My friends are still getting their first badges and in that time I¡¯ll be able to take a cursory exploration trip through the area Goopy might have settled down in. Maybe I can show Mum around so she gets used to wild Pok¨¦mon a little more? Not before I know the area, though.

    Oh, and I¡¯ll be able to let Giratina out more regularly after the match with Volkner tomorrow. They¡¯ve always enjoyed exploring the region with me, even though their presence is violently disturbing to the ecosystem. A Pok¨¦mon with that kind of power makes everyone else realize how far they still have to go. Even if it¡¯s only a part that travels with me. Their true self can only exist in the Distortion World after all.

    There¡¯s a knock on the door and I get up to open it. A nurse Joy greets me with a smile and hands me a letter.

    ¡°This arrived for you in the mail just now. Looks important so I brought it up right away.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, nurse,¡± I say.

    She nods and leaves, probably to get back to work. I scan the letter and see the official seal of the Sinnoh Pok¨¦mon Laboratory.

    ¡°Must be the paperwork,¡± I mutter to myself. Mes and Gligar are still chatting. They¡¯re getting along wonderfully.

    I sit down next to Lili on the bed who cuddles into my side. I pat her a little, then open the letter. It¡¯s a pile of pages with something heavy attached to one of them. The first one is written by none other than Professor Rowan.

    Dear Zoe Crones,

    I am happy to hear that you managed to collect six badges. It feels exceedingly strange to write this so early into the season. Usually, new Lab-Trainers take at least six months to fulfil their quota. That said, I did not expect any differently from you.

    Allow me to congratulate you for becoming an official researcher of the Sinnoh Pok¨¦mon Laboratory. There are a few steps you need to take before we can start paying your wage, or financing your projects. I hope you remember what we talked about a few weeks ago. Please fill out the corresponding forms. I have attached all of them, in case your decision has changed. There is no rush, so feel free to take your time. Though I would like you to find something you want to work on by the end of this Gym Season.

    Also attached is your new Trainer ID. It replaces your current one and even has the data for your PSIL-ID saved. Keep the latter one on you, though. It will be easier to show, especially when you¡¯re out and about and whoever wants to see it has no connection to the Sinnoh database.

    I wish you the best of luck and am looking forward to your research. Do note that as you are officially a minor, your working hours are limited per week. May you enrich our knowledge of Pok¨¦mon in whatever way you see fit!

    Sincerely,

    Sean Rowan, Pok¨¦mon Professor

    I smile as I read through the letter. The Professor is a very kind person, someone I can wholeheartedly support. Looking through the rest of the paperwork, I find forms to apply for different positions. I can become a research assistant to an ongoing project, or open up a new project at the lab. I put most of them to the side, only keeping the field researcher form and the independent field project form to fill out later.

    The last page has my new ID attached to the bottom and a generic statement from the Pok¨¦mon League printed above. ¡®This is your new ID, don¡¯t lose it, you may destroy your old one¡¯, yadda yadda.

    I pry the ID off the glue and turn it around in my hand. It has a photo of me along with my name and date of birth. At the top, bold letters declare: ¡®Pok¨¦mon Researcher¡¯. The back has a little more information but nothing unusual for an ID. It has a chip-card hidden in the plastic that will tell law enforcement or any other official capacity more about who I am and what I¡¯m allowed to do.

    I replace my previous Trainer-ID that was sitting in a side pocket of my satchel. The old card is just a few weeks old but I just crack it a few times before throwing the pieces into the bin.

    A glance out the window tells me the day is almost over. I get up and get my Pok¨¦mon friends together.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get something to eat,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯ll deal with this paperwork stuff later.¡±

    Lili and Mes nod happily and Gligar jumps into my arms. I chuckle and give him a hug before shifting him to hang on my back. Lili wraps her arm-leaf around my hand and Mes sits on my head. Together we leave the Pok¨¦mon Centre in search of something delicious. Canalave City and its location on the west coast promise some delicious sea food. Lulu leaves her Pok¨¦ Ball once we¡¯re outside the Centre and we let her nose guide us.

    At first, I barely notice the stares. I was not very well known in the towns and villages 200 years ago but I often travelled with rare and powerful Pok¨¦mon by my side. I was used to people keeping their distance and whispering behind my back, or even rushing away to avoid my path. But when the crowds start to close in instead of spreading out, I pay more attention.

    The people are looking curious, more than scared. I think I recognize some faces from the match with Biron earlier today. The whispers are excited rather than anxious. Even the Pok¨¦mon around are interested in our little group.

    Gligar is looking around but a glance at his face tells me he¡¯s curious rather than scared. Lili and Lulu walk down the street without paying attention to the people and Mes naps curled up on my head. I meet some people¡¯s faces and smile, getting a few shy waves in return. Then, a kid runs up to me followed by a worried looking mother trying to capture the boy.

    ¡°It¡¯s Cronns! It¡¯s Cronns!¡± he shouts, arms raised high. Lili lets go of my hand and picks up the kid before he can ram into us. She meets his eyes and chirps sternly. The boy gulps, then shakes his head and starts flailing.

    ¡°Lemme down!¡± he shouts ¡°Meanie!¡±

    Lili scowls, then turns to the terrified mother. With another chirp, she thrusts him into the woman¡¯s arms who grabs him tight without letting my friend out of her sight. Lili pats the boy¡¯s head, then steps back to me and takes my hand again. The woman sags in relief and turns to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that,¡± she says ¡°Robbie saw your matches and he¡¯s become a huge fan.¡±

    ¡°Robbie?¡± I ask ¡°Short for Robert?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°Huh. My little brother is called Robert, too.¡±

    I meet the boy¡¯s eyes and give him a smile.

    ¡°Be good, Robert, okay?¡±

    He nods eagerly, his tantrum already forgotten.

    ¡°Otograph!¡± he says and holds out a notebook covered in cute baby-Pok¨¦mon stickers.

    I blink, then shake my head.

    ¡°You want an autograph?¡±

    He nods. His mother is still looking at Lili with worry, and at Lulu as well who stopped a few paces ahead and sat down, waiting patiently for us.

    ¡°What do you want to be when you grow up?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I wanna be cool like you!¡± he shouts happily.

    I hum, then take out a pen from my satchel and open his notebook.

    ¡°Okay. Then this is for the future of Pok¨¦mon research!¡± I say ¡°May you explore a lot and discover the secrets of Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    ¡°Not battle?¡± he said.

    ¡°No, Robbie. I¡¯m a researcher,¡± I take out my new ID and show it off. His mother¡¯s eyes widen and I hear a few exclamations around us ¡°I travel the wild to learn more about Pok¨¦mon. How they live and what they do when humans don¡¯t train them. It¡¯s a lot of fun.¡±

    ¡°Cool!¡± he shouts again. I smile wryly and give him back his notebook.

    ¡°Here. Be good and listen to your mum, okay? You¡¯ll make it a lot easier for her.¡±

    The boy nods eagerly. I don¡¯t know how much it¡¯ll help but the mother is looking a lot more at ease, already.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Crones. I didn¡¯t know you were a researcher. What are you researching?¡±

    ¡°Pok¨¦mon habitats, habits, new forms, whatever is interesting, really. I¡¯m a field researcher. I work in the deep wild.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s so interesting. No wonder your Pok¨¦mon are so strong.¡±

    Lili perks up at that while Gligar shrinks back a little.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you have another Badge to get?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± I laugh ¡°But I¡¯ll be done with that tomorrow. I¡¯ll finally be able to go out again. Though I¡¯m looking to do some research on the Routes this time around. It¡¯s interesting how the Pok¨¦mon live differently even just in occasional proximity of humans.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, best of luck to you, Miss Crones. Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I nod ¡°And goodbye. Have a nice evening.¡±

    Finally, the two retreat. There is however a problem. Talking to one person seems to have opened the flood gates and suddenly everyone crowds close asking for autographs and what not. I start walking again while exchanging superficial pleasantries with people that know a whole lot more about me than I¡¯m entirely comfortable with. I guess being powerful in the information age is a little different than it was 200 years ago. I wonder how Cynthia deals with it? Maybe I should ask for some pointers.

 020 Beyond

    The Gym Arena is full. Normally, Volkner¡¯s matches don¡¯t get this many spectators but today is different. It¡¯s the first slot in the morning and still, the stands are packed to the brim. Of course, he knows why. He¡¯s going to battle Zoe Crones today. He¡¯s finally getting a real challenge.

    The referee announces the girl¡¯s entry and the crowd erupts. She lazily waves at them, her little floating grey friend sleeping on her head. It may not look like much but Volkner can tell it¡¯s a powerful Pok¨¦mon. Yet she¡¯s not planning to use it. Instead, he has to face her secret team member. A Dragon.

    Their eyes meet and Volkner feels his temper rise. Why is she looking sorry? Is she going to throw the match? Then she nods to the referee and sits down.

    ¡°Please send out your first Pok¨¦mon,¡± Volkner hears. He forces himself to calm down. She wouldn¡¯t do that to him.

    He throws his Super Ball and releases his setup Pok¨¦mon. Pelipper¡¯s drizzle is going to make his other Pok¨¦mon¡¯s Thunders that much easier to land. Crones raises an eyebrow at the soft rain covering the arena. It extends past the barrier, almost reaching the first spectator seats but the girl seemingly ignores the cold droplets.

    She takes out a Hyper Ball and throws it. It¡¯s an ancient model, something he¡¯s only seen in a museum before. It¡¯s also very well used. The yellow paint is almost completely scratched off and the latch is shining from repeated use.

    The Hyper Ball lands in the arena without opening. Volkner sees the girl put her chin on her hand and scoffs. When he looks back, the Ball is open. There is no Pok¨¦mon in the arena and yet an icy chill runs down his spine. His Pelipper, hardened from constant training with Electric Types, is flapping his wings nervously. A little cloud of darkness begins to spread slowly but inevitably from the open Hyper Ball. Bit by bit, the steel floor gets covered. The rain seems to pick up, adding to the ominous aura.

    It only takes a short while for the darkness to reach the barrier. Instead of stopping, it starts to creep up the Psychic walls. The little grey Pok¨¦mon on Crones¡¯ head is floating around now. It¡¯s using its own power to reinforce the barrier.

    Volkner looks at the crowd. People are shifting in their seats, worried looks on their faces. There is a blanket of murmurs and whispers somewhere between the rain and reality. Everyone seems worried about something. He doesn¡¯t really understand what until a keening wail penetrates the fog around his mind. He realizes his mistake. The creeping darkness is making him want to not think about the battle. He forces his eyes back to the arena only to see Pelipper knocked out in front of him. Two baleful red eyes peer out of the darkness behind his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°First one down,¡± Crones says calmly. Her voice rips the referee out of whatever is occupying everyone¡¯s mind and the knockout is called. With clattering teeth, Volkner recalls Pelipper.

    <hr>

    Sara gently brushes through her newest catch¡¯s feathers with her fingers. The Starly is leaning into her touch with a happy trill. He¡¯s a beautiful bird with a strong will but after defeating him in combat, he happily joined her team. Sure, he might not be of much use against Roark, but a flyer will be very useful for travelling and Staraptor is one of the absolute staples of Sinnoh¡¯s Circuit. She won¡¯t have any issues training him and by the time she¡¯ll reach Gardenia again, he will make a great counter to the Grass Types.

    She rubs a little more fat into her hands and continues brushing him gently. They took a bath to remove the dirt first and now she¡¯s helping to reapply the protective coating on his wings. Sure, Starly could do it himself but it¡¯s a great bonding moment to take care of your Pok¨¦mon. Zoe might recommend other things but there¡¯s been a lot of progress in Pok¨¦mon research since she learned all of her tricks and relying on that was going to bring Sara forward much easier.

    ¡°Bwu, bwuzel!¡± her starter complains to Craig, her Kricketot.

    The Bug Type chirps in laughter and keeps cutting apart the Oran berry. The slices are too small for Buizel¡¯s tastes but with the Wing Attack he took to the face, he can¡¯t properly chew.

    ¡°Stop complaining, Barry. If you¡¯d dodged properly you¡¯d be able to chew your food.¡±

    Their newest team member tweets in laughter at Barry¡¯s grumble.

    ¡°Turn around, Strato,¡± Sara says. He complies with a happy chirp and offers his other wing. She starts gently massaging the fat into his feathers. It¡¯s a light plant extract, almost like viscous oil, to help his feathers keep their shape and make dirt and water slide right off. That a new catch lets himself be touched this much is apparently not common but his trust means she made the right choice catching him specifically.

    A few minutes later, she¡¯s done and picks up a cloth to wipe the rest of the fat off her fingers. Barry leans on her shoulder and she pulls him into a hug. His mouth is already looking a lot better but he¡¯s still moping. It obviously still hurts a lot. She picks him up to cuddle as Strato takes off. The room is a little small to fly properly but he still enjoys his freshly cleaned wings as he makes a few laps around Craig¡¯s head.

    The Kricketot swipes at him with his little nub hands and antennae and the two start to play a rather uneven game of tag.

    Sara settles back on the bed and Barry stretches out on her stomach. Her mind is on the upcoming match with Roark. Buizel will have to do most of the work. Catching Strato might have been a mistake for that match specifically but maybe she¡¯ll still get a 2v2 battle. It¡¯ll depend on how the Gym Trainer grades her.

    And after Roark, it¡¯s back on the road. Not something she¡¯s looking forward to. Camping is okay but weeks on the road or in Pok¨¦mon Centres just doesn¡¯t hold up to living at home. The struggles you go through to get your badges¡­

    At least she¡¯ll be together with her friends.

    <hr>

    Volkner¡¯s hands still shake as he picks up his second Ball. He seems to be forcing himself to throw his next Pok¨¦mon to the chopping block. Maylene can¡¯t fault him. That monster in the arena isn¡¯t something she would want her Pok¨¦mon to face. Still, he releases his Raichu into battle and the Electric Type stands tall. It¡¯s almost like a beacon of light in the swathes of darkness filling the barrier.

    Maylene looks around as the whispers recede. More and more people are realizing what¡¯s going on but most are still subconsciously avoiding to look at the arena directly. The undulating shapes in the darkness make her think that¡¯s a good idea.

    ¡°Raichu, Thunder! No holding back!¡± Volkner calls out. His voice is surprisingly steady.

    The Electric Type charges for just a second before a great flash accompanied by a rolling rumble spears into the darkness. The lightning finds something but Maylene can¡¯t make out more than a thick serpentine body adorned with two clawed wings. It might have had legs but the darkness comes back too quickly to say for sure.

    ¡°Again!¡± Volkner says.

    The second Thunder hits as well. A golden glint is all that¡¯s visible of the monster this time, the darkness coming back even quicker. The third one is a miss and the fourth one no longer rumbles. By the fifth attack, Raichu is breathing heavily. His most powerful Move has lost all strength, the lightning barely visible underneath the darkness.

    This time, Maylene sees how Volkner¡¯s Pok¨¦mon is taken down. She wishes she didn¡¯t. For just an instant, the darkness reaches out in the shape of a claw. It goes through Raichu and the Pok¨¦mon drops like someone turned off a robot. Maylene only just manages to hold in her voice. Volkner is just as baffled. Then Raichu¡¯s chest moves.

    ¡°Raichu is down!¡± the referee calls, ¡°P-please choose your next Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    <hr>

    Professor Rowan is annoyed. The computer¡¯s incessant beeps are starting to get on his nerves. They have little by the way of news but the energies they¡¯re registering are the very same they entered into the system after the Red Night. It¡¯s a warning. Something dangerous is happening. And despite knowing exactly why the warning is blaring, the Professor has no idea how to turn it off.

    He finally finds his mufflers and puts them on over his ears. The fluffy cloth pieces manage to dampen the noise to an acceptable level. It¡¯s no longer physically hurting him. He picks up the other three and distributes them to the aides sharing the room with him. They¡¯ll have to communicate by text until they can figure this stupid thing out but that¡¯s better than going deaf.

    Researcher Graham gives him a thumbs up in thanks, then points at the emergency power switch. Professor Rowan shakes his head. Sure, it¡¯s an option, but they¡¯d lose all the data they gathered today. Even if it¡¯s still morning, most of the sensors run overnight without any human input. That¡¯s also why the siren is so loud. It¡¯s supposed to wake up anyone nearby in an emergency.

    ¡®Save everything and shutdown the hardware first¡¯ he writes on a piece of paper. His aides nod and get to work. It takes a full fifteen minutes to make sure they have everything, then the Professor merrily rips the switch and the room goes dark. He holds still for a moment, expecting the noise to somehow pick up again, then sighs deeply when the emergency lighting springs on without the siren.

    He takes off his mufflers and so do his aides. Graham and Johan give each other a high five while Celine looks at the siren with suspicion.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t start again until we restore the power,¡± Rowan says ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have started at all, today. I must¡¯ve made a mistake adjusting the calibration.¡±

    ¡°Why did it go off?¡± Johan asks.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because our newest Lab-Trainer is using a special Pok¨¦mon today,¡± Rowan chuckles, ¡°She warned me beforehand, or rather asked if it might cause problems. Though it¡¯s been out and about before. I don¡¯t quite understand how our system didn¡¯t catch it before.¡±

    ¡°This is the Red Night warning system,¡± Celine says. She is staring at her tablet, going back and forth through some of the data they just saved.

    ¡°How is it activating? I thought these energy readings were clear signs of Legendary Pok¨¦mon acting aggressively.¡±

    Rowan nods.

    ¡°You¡¯d be correct about that. Zoe has one of the Pok¨¦mon that were active during the Red Night on her team. Said Pok¨¦mon should be battling Volkner right now. I am simultaneously glad that our systems can detect it from all the way over in Sunyshore and annoyed that I wasn¡¯t able to turn off the warning properly.¡±

    ¡°Crones?¡± Graham asks ¡°That¡¯s¡­ less surprising than it should be.¡±

    Johan nods and shudders.

    ¡°I still remember how she kicked the Champ¡¯s Togekiss to the ground.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rowan laughs ¡°She¡¯s quite the terrifying girl. I¡¯m looking forward to her first research project. Hopefully she¡¯ll be exploring the changes in evolutionary lines from how she knows them.¡±

    His aides all grin back at him.

    ¡°Of course you would like that, Professor,¡± Johan says ¡°I¡¯d be more than happy to have her on as another Field Researcher documenting habitats. We don¡¯t have enough people exploring the truly wild areas of Sinnoh.¡±

    ¡°The migration data would definitely be interesting,¡± Graham agrees ¡°Is she in the system already? I want to propose her a project I could use some help with.¡±

    ¡°Really? Nothing about ¡®A human that uses Moves?¡¯, guys?¡± Celine shakes her head ¡°Zoe has to work on Move research. We have a never before seen the chance of direct first-hand accounts how Moves and Type Energy work. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let that slip through my fingers.¡±

    The Professor laughs and the others join in quickly. They are interrupted by his phone ringing. He picks it up.

    ¡°Professor Rowan, Sandgemme Pok¨¦mon Laboratory speaking. How can I help you, Mayor?¡±

    ¡°Professor, what was that racket? Do we need to evacuate?¡±

    ¡°No, no. Everything is fine. Just a miscalibrated detector running wild. We know where the energies are coming from and it¡¯s under control. Sorry for the disturbance.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, thank you. That¡¯s good. Very good. I didn¡¯t want to skip my visit to the salon. Do update me if anything changes, Professor, yes? Thank you. Have a good day.¡±

    The mayor hangs up before Rowan can utter another word but he is used to it. The man is a decent fellow but sometimes a little too quick on the trigger. It has taken several years to teach him not to evacuate the city at the first sign of trouble.

    ¡°Alright, people. Let¡¯s take thirty before putting the power back on. The worst of the energies should be dissipated by then and we¡¯ll be able to get back to work.¡±

    His aides nod in agreement and file out of the room. The warm summer morning is wonderfully inviting for a break at the edge of the pastures. Professor Rowan is soon on their heels and they start discussing how they can adjust the detection system to be more discerning. Maybe it¡¯s possible to detect areas and pre-program known times when Zoe lets out her friend to play. That would at least let them protect their hearing. The very least they¡¯ll do is buy a less painful siren. At least for inside the Lab.

    <hr>

    It has been a while since Mesprit was this excited. Having not just her close friend back but also being out and about again was fun. Especially since Giratina is enjoying their time as well. Usually, the Lake Spirits were the creations closest to Arceus that still regularly interacted with people. Simple because Emotion, Knowledge, and Willpower are people things. The likes of Arceus and Giratina are normally too far removed from reality to need these concepts.

    But sometimes, a person comes around that changes things. And their friend Zoe was one of those people. A powerful will, the pursuit of knowledge, and driven by her emotions, the Lake Spirits took an instant liking to her when they first met. So did Giratina, and Arceus. We don¡¯t talk about the squabbling siblings, though even they came around.

    Today, Mesprit silently watches over the arena, making sure nobody gets overwhelmed by Giratina showing off. The polished steel floor gives them the perfect opportunity to open a gate to the Mirror World and let a little bit of their true self leak through. They¡¯re still holding back properly but the emotional impact on people that aren¡¯t used to their presence can still be very significant.

    Volkner is finally getting used to it and throws out his next Pok¨¦mon. A Jolteon sparking with barely contained violence. As Giratina lets the Mirror World fade away, their opponents will have more and more chances to land a good hit. Not that they can take them down.

    Jolteon is still unable to do much. He¡¯s giving it his all but firing a few Thunders and Shock Waves into the darkness won¡¯t do anything to the monster he¡¯s facing. Mesprit watches carefully and sees exactly when Giratina makes their move. It¡¯s a simple Dark Pulse into Aura Sphere combo. It shakes up the cloud, giving the spectators another glimpse at the Pok¨¦mon hiding inside. Those wings really are imposing, especially since they¡¯re taller than Mesprit¡¯s whole body.

    She laughs to herself at the gasps in the crowd. Almost everyone is now snapped out of the fear and able to look at the arena. Soon, Giratina will show their self. Zoe is looking just as interested in their reactions. This will show if Giratina can be around in town more often or if they have to stick to their Ball.

    <hr>

    ¡°To the skies, Luna!¡±

    The Lumineon jumps out of it¡¯s sparkling Whirlpool, her Aqua Ring leaving behind a trail of rainbow drops. Her Flying Type Energy holds her up at the peak of the Bounce and the watery shell blasts off into a brilliant halo illuminated by Lumineon¡¯s natural bioluminescence.

    ¡°Luuu!¡± the Pok¨¦mon cries out jubilantly.

    Melanie stands behind the spectacle, fist raised to the sky and a big grin on her face. Of course, it will look much prettier once she wears her contest dress rather than just exercise clothes but for practise, the yoga pants and sport shirt are perfectly fine.

    Once the remains of the Aqua Ring dissipate, Luna drops down into the Whirlpool and makes it slowly stop. Melanie¡¯s eyebrow twitches at the inelegant post-finish to their routine.

    ¡°We need to work on how you come down from that,¡± she says.

    ¡°Lumi,¡± her Pok¨¦mon agrees.

    ¡°But other than the post-finish, everything¡¯s pretty good. The dispersed aqua ring could be a little more even, I think. Do you want to work on that while I come up with a proper way of coming down after the finale?¡±

    ¡°Neon!¡±

    She smiles as Luna swims off to the middle of the pool and uses another Aqua Ring.

    They¡¯re more than ready for Roark¡¯s Rock Types so focusing on the first Contest routine is much more important. It¡¯s still two weeks away and the last thing anyone in their travel group will do in Oreburgh. For a moment, Melanie¡¯s thoughts stray to her friends. She hopes they¡¯re well prepared for the Gym Match so the trip can start in time. Not that the others really have a need to be on time. Only her contests require them to be in certain cities on specific dates.

    She shakes her head. First, the routine. Maybe Luna could pull the Whirlpool up to follow her in a spiral and then spread out the water to drop down hidden. The remains can then wash down the drain as Melanie recalls her. And if that doesn¡¯t work, she¡¯ll just come up with something else. She shifts her braided hair and smiles at her Pok¨¦mon. Luna is still hard at work.

    ¡°Just like that, Luna. Your back is still messing it up a bit. I think it¡¯s your fin, just like on your sides.¡±

    ¡°Luu!¡± the Pok¨¦mon calls out, then uses the Move again. Yes, this will look wonderful once everything is in place.

    <hr>

    Dawn is shaking. Each little bit she sees of the Pok¨¦mon in that arena makes her gut sink a little more. It¡¯s not helping that Piplup has dug his beak into Dawn¡¯s stomach. She hugs her Pok¨¦mon tighter.

    When she first heard of Zoe Crones, something in her mind made her pay attention. It might have been that her rival was called Zoey. It might have been the way Lucas talked about the girl. Or maybe something else was in play. Now, she suspects that something else.

    Volkner¡¯s Lanturn lights up the arena with a storm of Electric Moves. Thunderbolts, Discharges, Thunder Waves, and even the occasional Electro Web break through the eerie clouds covering his opponent. A body is visible in the midst of the light show. Dawn knows that shape. And it scares her.

    Her eyes find the little Psychic Type floating around the barriers. Mesprit had needed her help, five years ago. But it had disappeared soon after. Now, the Lake Spirit is back out and its not hiding away from people. It¡¯s playing around as if the horrors of Team Galactic never happened.

    Mesprit looks back and finds her eyes. The Pok¨¦mon is gentle in its intrusion and moments later she hears its telepathic voice in her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fear! Friend!¡±

    ¡°ICE BEAM!¡± Volkner shouts desperately.

    Lanturn obliges and the blue-white beam of energy shoots at the dark shape. For the first time, it roars. It can¡¯t be pain from just this one attack. The last bits of the cloud vanish with the sound and there it stands in all its glory. Giratina. The Renegade. Master of the Mirror World.

    And yet, despite how terrifying its full form is Dawn suddenly feels much less scared. Even Piplup shifts to look at the arena. The six-legged Dragon is glaring down its opponent but Lanturn and Volkner seem re-enervated now that they can finally see what they¡¯re facing.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The Gym Leader orders another Ice Beam but this time Giratina dodges the attack. It dives into its shadow and comes up right in front of Lanturn, a Dragon Claw on its wings as they slam forward and throw Lanturn into the barrier. Giratina slowly looks up at Volkner who gulps and returns his downed partner. Once again, the Dragon disappears into darkness only to stand tall in front of its Trainer.

    How? How can someone control this monster. Sure, it sort-of helped them out during the Red Night but¡­ It was absolutely terrifying. And yet¡­ Zoe Crones is just sitting there, smirking as if she pulled a huge prank on everyone.

    ¡°I have to talk to her,¡± Dawn mutters to herself.

    Piplup looks up worriedly at his Trainer, then steels his resolve and hugs her arm. If she wants to meet the monster he will protect her.

    <hr>

    Embers are shooting rapid fire at the targets. Ember, Min¡¯s Ponyta, is running back and forth across the meadow as Veil, her Diglett, moves around underground. The latter is pushing up small wooden blocks and propping them up with loose dirt. They slide back down into the ground a second or two after he leaves and that¡¯s the time frame Ember has to hit them.

    Min cheers with every hit. Most of them still go wide but Ember is getting better and better. Her speed is great and her power is decent so they¡¯re working on aim specifically while moving. The Ponyta line can¡¯t take hits very well so this is their best strategy for a distance focused style. Move fast enough that you don¡¯t get hit while still landing your own hits. The fact that Veil can practise his digging speed and precision on top of that is only a bonus.

    Occasionally, Min calls out a number. Twelve of the wooden blocks are arranged in an even circle around her and Veil has to pull down the one she calls out before Ember burns it to ashes. Eight of them are still standing.

    After a total of ten minutes, Min calls for a shot break. By this point, half of the total blocks are gone.

    ¡°Good job, guys!¡± she says as she pets her Pok¨¦mon ¡°I¡¯m proud of you. Now, Ember won this round. So we¡¯re upping the difficulty.¡±

    ¡°Pony?¡± the small fire horse asks.

    ¡°Yes. I expect you to keep up or catch up. You won¡¯t be the key part for the first Badge but for the second, I need you to be strong.¡±

    ¡°Ta!¡± she nods.

    ¡°Okay, Veil. You¡¯re gonna keep popping the blocks. Whenever one is broken, use any rock you find to replace it. I¡¯m counting hits again for points. The rocks will drop quicker or be smaller so Ember needs to be even faster and more accurate. Sounds good?¡±

    ¡°Dig!¡± ¡°Pony!¡± they agree.

    ¡°Great! Then let¡¯s get to it!¡±

    <hr>

    When the darkness receded from the battlefield, Tobias had thought that was it. This Pok¨¦mon had run out of steam and now Volkner would have a chance. Then it dove into its shadows just like Darkrai and smacked the Lanturn down in a single strike.

    His partner is hiding in his shadow, only the glowing blue eyes showing behind Tobias¡¯ shoulder. The TV screen lights up the otherwise dark room, reflecting off the mug in front of him. Together, they¡¯re watching the replay of Zoe Crones¡¯ last Gym Battle. And it¡¯s a terrifying performance. Even Darkrai has been completely silent, just staring at the screen.

    Volkner¡¯s fifth Pok¨¦mon is his Luxray. A beast in normal circumstances but after seeing Crones¡¯ monster, this one looks practically docile. Luxray tries his best to get close but the Dragon is just playing with him. It¡¯s diving into shadows and looping around the arena, avoiding Ice Fangs and Thunder Waves like¡­ Like Darkrai.

    He glances at his partner. They¡¯ve been together for over a decade, now. Darkrai had found him one lonely night and offered a nightmare. Tobias had decided that nightmares are better than being alone and taken him up on the offer. And together they had made more friends.

    But this is the first time he¡¯s seen his partner like that. The pitch black Pok¨¦mon is usually stoic and reserved, showing little emotion. He¡¯s powerful precisely because of his indifference. Struggle doesn¡¯t matter when you¡¯re that powerful. When training with the rest of the team, he comes to life and thrives. Darkrai loves guiding their other partners just as much as he loves learning from them. But today, he is intense. There is only a minute difference to his posture but it¡¯s obvious to Tobias.

    The Dragon finally has enough and tears into Volkner¡¯s Luxray with its Shadow Sneak variant. Tobias turns to his partner.

    ¡°You alright, friend?¡± he asks.

    Darkrai doesn¡¯t react for a moment. Then he slowly turns his head. His eyes are shining with interest, intense and driven.

    ¡°Do you want to fight that?¡±

    Darkrai shifts and what passes for a mouth on his black face is twisted in an obvious smirk. Then he nods and turns back to the screen.

    Right, there¡¯s one more Pok¨¦mon on Volkner¡¯s side. Not that it¡¯ll make much of a difference.

    ¡°We¡¯ll train for it. As much as we can. And we¡¯ll beat Zoe Crones at the Conference.¡±

    Darkrai doesn¡¯t even notice, instead reaching out to rewind the video and turn on slow motion. Tobias sits forward and pulls out his notebook. It¡¯s time to plan for the inevitable battle.

    <hr>

    I can¡¯t stop smiling at how much fun Giratina is having. They¡¯re letting out most of the stops, at least for the show part, and trashing Volkner¡¯s team with ease. My friend is truly enjoying themselves.

    The Electivire is on his last legs, after putting forth a valiant effort against insurmountable odds. I knew Electivire that could make Giratina struggle in their altered forme but Volkner has trained him for Pok¨¦mon battles, not fights. He¡¯s just fighting too fair. Too much honour, too much holding back. Great if you want to have fun, terrible if you¡¯re this outmatched.

    Giratina has even stopped the shadow games and is just using their wings as shields and fists to exchange blows. They¡¯re wreathed in Shadow Claws and Dragon Claws, only a little Type Energy leaking into their opponent with every strike. Electivire has long overcome his frustration and is using the opportunity for a personalized lesson. Even Volkner realized the match is lost and stopped giving commands a minute ago.

    The exchange of blows, now visible without all the Mirror World games from earlier, is much more engaging for the audience at least. They¡¯ve started cheering and shouting, especially the younger spectators. Seeing a cool Pok¨¦mon like Giratina in action is just that amazing.

    But it has dragged on long enough. I stand up and clap my hands.

    ¡°Giratina,¡± I say in the short break between their punches ¡°No more Moves, end it in thirty seconds. Otherwise I¡¯m pulling you out of the battle.¡±

    Their red eyes glare at me with barely concealed amusement, though to anyone else they¡¯d be absolutely terrifying. I glance over at Electivire. He seems scared.

    ¡°Your time starts now,¡± I say and begin counting.

    ¡°One.¡±

    Giratina rushes forwards and swings their right wing, Electivire vaulting sideways in a panic. My friend turns to follow his movement.

    ¡°Two.¡±

    Thundering steps, literally, light up the arena with Electric TE as he uses Volt Switch to gain more distance. Giratina pushes off in pursuit, wings flapping just once.

    ¡°Three.¡±

    The huge Dragon collides with Electivire¡¯s back only to take a panic Thunder Punch to the chest. My friend rears back as static runs over their body. Electivire freezes for just a moment.

    ¡°Four.¡±

    It might be my voice that pulls Electivire back into the moment. He follows up his accidentally successful Thunder Punch with an Ice Punch just as Giratina twitches from the paralysis.

    ¡°Five.¡±

    The Move connects and my friend falls back half a step. Electivire is in hot pursuit, this time with a Fire Punch on his right fist and a second Ice Punch building on his left.

    ¡°Six.¡±

    Giratina manages to deflect the Fire Punch by swatting it towards Electivire¡¯s left side which turns the Electric Type away. He spins with the motion and swings his Ice Punch wide, trying to land it anyways but Giratina rears back.

    ¡°Seven.¡±

    My friend almost bonks their head on the ceiling barrier. Electivire keeps spinning, loosing control between his exhaustion and missing the hit.

    ¡°Eight.¡±

    For just a moment, time seems to stand still. The huge form of Giratina rearing on their two back legs is dominating the battlefield. Their wings are spread out to intimidate or stabilize. Probably both.

    ¡°Nine.¡±

    A flap of their wings brings Giratina crashing down onto the still spinning Electivire. He¡¯s pushed down but his momentum gets him out of the worst of it. There¡¯s a crack as another Thunder Punch randomly swings into one of Giratina¡¯s legs.

    ¡°Ten.¡±

    My friend pushes forwards, shoving Electivire to the ground and stopping his spinning. They put one leg on his back as he smacks into the dirt, the other five stable on the ground. Then they rear their head and growl at Volkner.

    ¡°Eleven.¡±

    Volkner stands still for a long moment, just staring at the match. I know it¡¯s over, he knows it¡¯s over, the referee knows it¡¯s over, but it isn¡¯t called yet.

    ¡°Twelve.¡±

    Electivire is still uselessly shaking his fist, trying to get the leverage to push of his opponent but Giratina is both heavy and strong. It won¡¯t happen.

    ¡°Thirteen.¡±

    Giratina gives me a glare and I grin. I don¡¯t have a reason to stop counting yet. Electivire might be in full panic mode but my friend can take a careless punch without issues.

    ¡°Fourteen.¡±

    I turn to look at Volkner and he¡¯s finally ripped out of his daze. He half-lifts his Pok¨¦ Ball, then his hand freezes.

    ¡°Fifteen.¡±

    Electivire finally stops struggling and just lets his arms flop on the ground. For a moment, nobody says anything. Then I continue.

    ¡°Sixteen.¡±

    ¡°E-Electivire is unable to battle,¡± the referee stutters, ¡°Challenger Zoe Crones is victorious.¡±

    Giratina looks smug as they step off Electivire who simply stays on the ground. Volkner recalls him soon after. I grin at my draconic friend.

    ¡°A full sixteen seconds,¡± I shake my head ¡°You can do better than that. Are you out of shape?¡±

    They tread over and loom over me. At over twice my height, we must make quite the sight. The spectators are suddenly very silent, then Giratina smacks the side of my head with a wing.

    ¡°Ow,¡± I say and rub my head.

    They hum and put both wings around me. I can feel their mind connecting to mine.

    ¡°Thank you for this chance, Zoe,¡± they say.

    ¡°Of course,¡± I hug them back ¡°Just say the word if you want some more action.¡±

    We soon separate as Volkner walks over. He hands me my Badge and my TM with a subdued air. Judging from his twitching glances, he¡¯s still scared of Giratina.

    ¡°No need to worry,¡± I say ¡°My friend here is scary but nice once you get to know them.¡±

    The Gym Leader gulps and nods. He barely gives me a glance as he walks away backwards with his eyes still on Giratina. I look around at the crowd and while some people are still looking rattled, most of them seem to have a modicum of trust in me. They aren¡¯t rushing forwards to ask questions but they aren¡¯t running away screaming either. I see a lot of them simply talking to their friends or seat neighbours about the match, completely ignoring the Legendary Dragon that¡¯s still standing in the middle of the arena.

    Then Mesprit¡¯s mind connects to me.

    ¡°Friend!¡± she cries and I look around. She¡¯s floating towards me, pulling on the arm of a young woman. Someone that I know exists. Someone that looks very similar to my best human friend that I¡¯ll never see again. My heart freezes for just a second but I manage to catch myself.

    They stop a few steps away from us and we just stand still for a moment.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I say. Sure, it¡¯s awkward but we can change that, right? Surely, I can get used to seeing Akari¡¯s face on a different person.

    ¡°Um, hey,¡± she answers ¡°I¡­ Mesprit just pulled me here. I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I think I understand why.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Mesprit giggles into our minds. I glare at her.

    ¡°Then you didn¡¯t want to introduce your friends to each other?¡± I ask.

    She grumbles and sits down on the young woman¡¯s head turning away from me. Giratina¡¯s wing twitches in amusement on my back.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m Zoe. Nice to meet you,¡± I say.

    ¡°Dawn. I¡­ how?¡±

    She is looking at Giratina with that question.

    ¡°We became friends. That¡¯s all there is to it. Just like with Mes.¡±

    The Psychic turns around and shows me her tongue. I reach up to pet her head.

    ¡°Love you too, girl.¡±

    She can¡¯t hold her scowl for much longer and soon fully settles onto Dawn¡¯s head. I notice that Giratina is still keeping their distance only a single wing touching my back. I lean back into it and they hold me upright.

    ¡°Wanna go chat somewhere else?¡± I ask after looking at the crowd that still isn¡¯t really dispersing.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Dawn says ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±

    ¡°Pip,¡± her Pok¨¦mon squeaks and she hugs him tighter.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Piplup. Zoe is nice. Mesprit trusts her.¡±

    He looks like he wants to complain more but settles down as I return Giratina into their Hyper Ball.

    ¡°I was gonna go back to Oreburgh for tonight. Wanna come with or chat somewhere else?¡±

    ¡°Oreburgh? That¡¯s fine. Yeah. The contest is in two weeks and I don¡¯t have much to do besides practise.¡±

    ¡°Great. Mes?¡±

    ¡°Sleepy¡­¡± she mumbles and closes her eyes. I shake my head and take Dawn¡¯s hands. She looks surprised at the contact but I ignore it and channel my Psychic TE. A clear image of my bedroom comes up in my mind and I make sure to include Dawn, Piplup, and Mesprit in the Move. Then my TE flares and engulfs us shifting reality just that tiny bit.

    We appear in my room and I stumble from the exertion. Dawn has to burp and Piplup is rubbing the sides of his head but Mes is grinning at me from her perch.

    ¡°Good! More training!¡± she sends and I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Sure. Sorry about the rough ride. Let¡¯s go into the kitchen. Tea or coffee?¡±

    ¡°Tea,¡± Dawn says after a moment. She looks a little confused but just follows me.

    Soon, we settle down at the kitchen table. Dad is at work, Mum is on her Journey and Rob is probably preparing for his battle with Roark. Unless he¡¯s going to challenge someone else for his first badge. In short, it¡¯s just the two of us.

    That reminds me. I was going to see Mum after the match today.

    ¡°So, Akari,¡± I say. Dawn looks at me with narrowed eyes ¡°Your great grandmother, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That was her name.¡±

    ¡°You look just like her,¡± I smile ¡°And Lucas looks exactly like Rei.¡±

    Dawn gulps. Piplup is quick to pat her hand and the support reassures her.

    ¡°You really travelled through time?¡± she asks in a whisper.

    ¡°Yes. Well, I was made to.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me more about¡­¡±

    ¡°Akari? Or my adventures in the past?¡±

    She nods shyly and I laugh.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    And so I start talking. For the second time I tell the full story. This time, I don¡¯t just summarize the events. I also add a whole bunch of tidbits about Dawn¡¯s great grandmother. What she liked to do, how she interacted with her Pok¨¦mon, what Pok¨¦mon she had and all that. Dawn looks grateful and slowly opens up.

    I let out Lili and Gligar at some point and cut some berries for them as well as Mesprit and Dawn¡¯s Piplup. The little penguin is still glancing at me warily but he¡¯s starting to relax a little. Lulu and Giratina won¡¯t be comfortable in the small flat so I keep them in their Balls. Dawn doesn¡¯t let any of her other Pok¨¦mon despite me offering. I think she doesn¡¯t want to impose but that¡¯s just silly modern common sense. Unless her Pok¨¦mon are too big to be comfortable here, which I know isn¡¯t the case for all of them. I¡¯ve seen some of the young woman¡¯s contests.

    When I finish my tale, it¡¯s late afternoon. We had some take-out for lunch but other than that we just talked. It was honestly refreshing to discuss many of my experiences and reminisce in memories. After the last few weeks I¡¯ve started to miss Akari and Laventon. But Dawn is a good listener and asks great questions.

    The door rattles in the hallway, taking us out of our information-induced stupor. I sit up and drink the last of my tea as Dad calls a greeting from the entrance.

    ¡°Welcome home!¡± I answer and the rustling stops. Then there are two slamming noises and he runs into the kitchen, Machop right on his heels. I jump into his arms and he spins me around as we laugh. Machop cheers us on from one side, Lili mirroring him on the other.

    ¡°You¡¯re back, Little Ralts!¡± he says as he lets me down. I lean into him and he kisses the top of my head. This. This is why I missed home. I had friends in the past and I had my Pok¨¦mon but I didn¡¯t have this. I didn¡¯t have family.

    ¡°I am, Dad,¡± I say and pull back ¡°Here, check this out!¡±

    I pull out my badge case from my satchel and flick it open. In it are the seven Black Badges of the last week and I blink.

    ¡°Oops,¡± I say and pull out the Beacon Badge from where I put it this morning. It quickly gets added to the other eight.

    ¡°There you go. A full eight! And all Black Badges.¡±

    He looks them over with wide happy eyes and then gives me another kiss on the head.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done wonderful, Zoe. All your cumulated knowledge let you do this.¡±

    ¡°This was more of a power thing with Lili and Lulu but thanks.¡±

    ¡°So did you meet with your mother already?¡± he asks.

    Oops. I shake my head.

    ¡°I forgot.¡±

    He finally notices Dawn who is still sitting at the table and gives me a look.

    ¡°And who¡¯s your friend?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Ah, right. That¡¯s Dawn. She watched my match with Volkner and Mes noticed her. They¡¯re friends so she dragged Dawn over and we got to talking. And well, that kept us busy for a while.¡±

    Dawn looks a little awkward.

    ¡°Huh. The coordinator Dawn?¡± Dad asks.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. Nice to meet you Mister Crones.¡±

    ¡°Oh, none of that,¡± Dad laughs ¡°Just call me Derrik. If you met at the match today¡­ Do you have somewhere to sleep?¡±

    ¡°I was just going to go to the Pok¨¦mon Centre and look for a hotel room tomorrow,¡± she says.

    ¡°You can spend the night,¡± I say ¡°I¡¯ve got space in my room. We just need to put up a mattress.¡±

    ¡°Rob is staying in the Centre, you can have his room as well. He¡¯s just starting his Journey.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Dawn seems overwhelmed.

    ¡°My room or my little brother¡¯s room?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Pip!¡± Piplup jumps between us and I step back with a chuckle. He turns and gestures to his Trainer while enthusiastically chatting at her. She smiles and nods along until he has to take a breath then pats his head.

    ¡°Thank you for worrying, Piplup,¡± she says ¡°But Zoe isn¡¯t dangerous. She won¡¯t hurt us,¡± she looks up at me ¡°I¡¯d like to share a room. It¡¯s been a while since I had a sleepover.¡±

    ¡°Great! Do you need to get anything?¡±

    ¡°My bag has the necessities. I¡¯ll buy anything extra tomorrow after finding a hotel.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Let¡¯s find the mattress while Dad gets started on dinner, then,¡± I grin ¡°Lili, can you help him?¡±

    She chirps happily and drags him into the kitchen.

    ¡°Call your Mum, at least,¡± Dad shouts back at me.

    It doesn¡¯t take long to get everything set up for the night and then I pull out my phone. Mum picks up on the first ring.

    ¡°Zoe! Where are you?¡± she looks frazzled.

    ¡°Home,¡± I say ¡°Sorry for ditching you. Mesprit introduced me to a friend of hers and we ended up talking the whole day. I¡¯ll come over tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Okay. Lunch?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±

    There¡¯s a moment of silence as we both avoid looking at the screen.

    ¡°I thought something happened to you again,¡± Mum whispers.

    I feel an unpleasant sting in my throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I answer ¡°¡­ see you tomorrow?¡±

    Our eyes meet through the screen and she nods with a smile.

    ¡°Yes. And don¡¯t forget again!¡±

    I chuckle.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. See you, Mum.¡±

    We say our farewells and I hang up. A moment later Dad calls me and we sit down for dinner. It¡¯s a relaxed meal with just the three of us and our Pok¨¦mon. Dad and Lili made a delicious curry.

    We spend the evening chatting about nothing of importance before retiring early. I had a stressful week with all my battles and am looking forward to my bed. Dawn also seems exhausted. When we¡¯re lying in bed her cuddling Piplup and me with Mes in my arms she speaks up.

    ¡°So, Little Ralts?¡±

    I snort.

    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s what Dad always called me.¡±

    ¡°Even though they¡¯re so rare in Sinnoh?¡±

    I smile to myself.

    ¡°He said I was just as rare and precious. I guess he was right, though. I can Teleport so I¡¯m probably a Ralts in disguise.¡±

    Dawn snorts.

    ¡°You¡¯re a little tall for that.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯re three Ralts in a trenchcoat.¡±

    This time she laughs.

    ¡°Good night, Zoe,¡± she says.

    ¡°Good night, Dawn,¡± I answer. And minutes later, I¡¯m asleep.