ã€ŠTo Face The Sun [Pokemon / Bug Specialist / OC Fanfiction]ã€‹


 Chapter 1

    CHAPTER 1

    Snow crunched underneath my hiking boots as I took bigger and bigger strides. The evening sky was dyed with beautiful colors, but my neck was craned forward in concentration. Our destination was in sight.

    ¡°Last one there¡¯s a rotten Exeggcute!¡± I suddenly yelled.

    An assortment of buzzes, clicks, hisses, and roars answered me, all with an energetic tone. Uncontrollable laughter erupted from my chest as I watched my Pokemon race ahead, but not for long.

    I started running after them. It was incredibly dangerous considering the fact that I was ascending the slope of a very tall, snowy mountain, but my senses were sharper than a normal human¡¯s. I was confident I wouldn¡¯t slip.

    That, and I knew one of my Pokemon would catch me if I fell.

    Small clouds of mist formed in the wake of my breaths as I ran. I almost couldn¡¯t see my Pokemon anymore. Most had crested the top of the slope already.

    Ten seconds later, I finally joined them at the top of the mountain we¡¯d spent the better half of the week scaling. My breath was stolen away in an instant.

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±

    Paldea¡¯s Highest Peak truly lived up to its name.

    The view was breathtaking. It wasn¡¯t an understatement to say I felt like I could see the entire region from here. I slowly swiveled my head, eyes tracing the curves of distant valleys, rivers snaking between plains of grass, cliffs, fields, cities and towns¡­ It was now that I could finally appreciate the fast darkening sky, too. A sea of molten amber mixed with wisps of purple and red filled my gaze.

    I felt so small, yet not in a bad way. Once again, I was reminded of how vast the world was and the countless things I had yet to see and experience. It only made me more excited about the future.

    I admit I had cheated by flying on Rune and Flygon part of the way up Glaseado Mountain, but my team and I weren¡¯t fans of the cold. In the end, we had all agreed to expedite the process. (Frosmoth was the only disappointed one.)

    And with this, my Pokemon and I had officially checked off the last of Paldea¡¯s Ten Sights from our sightseeing list. It had been fun trekking up and down the country, but all things had to end. No melancholy washed over me, though, only a sense of accomplishment.

    Together, my Pokemon and I appreciated the view in silence¡­ for one minute.

    Then Golisopod pounded his armored plating with a fist and screeched.

    His proud proclamation echoed across space, ringing in our ears. We were here, he had said.

    I was the quickest to react.

    ¡°WE WERE HERE!¡± I shouted, throwing a fist up into the air with an almost crazed grin.

    My words had hardly begun to resound when the rest of my Pokemon followed suit. Over a dozen enthusiastic voices overlapped and echoed to the ends of the mountain. The idea that the local wild Pokemon might get pissed off was a mere afterthought; I was too busy savoring the moment.

    We were here. We didn¡¯t plan on leaving any physical traces that would stand the test of time, but this was enough. This moment would exist in our memories and souls.

    Well¡­ some mementos were nice, too.

    ¡°Almost forgot,¡± I muttered to myself. I shrugged off the backpack I was wearing and placed it on the sparkling snow.

    My Pokemon already knew the routine. They assembled themselves into a chaotic yet somehow cohesive group as I pulled out my phone. After I opened the camera app, Ribombee pulled it out of my hand with Psychic. I slid into the center of the group as she levitated the phone further away from us for a good shot.

    We smiled widely, each of us adopting a favored pose.

    ¡°Say Combee!¡±

    Vespiquen and a few of my other Pokemon chortled ¡ª or screeched, really ¡ª once we were satisfied with how the pictures came out. Every now and then I switched up the picture-taking phrase we used.

    While I rummaged around in my backpack for the portable photo printer, everyone else dispersed. I found the logs before I found the printer and tossed them over my shoulder.

    Galvantula spat out silk to grab the flying logs, but Yanmega beat her to it. The dragonfly dropped off said wood in an appropriate spot before darting back into the sky. Rune, Flygon, Beedrill, and Frosmoth were already flying loops up there. Being this high up the mountain meant the air was really fresh and pleasant, albeit cold, and they were enjoying themselves.

    Scolipede and Centiskorch were busy butting heads as usual, but they stopped bickering long enough for the latter to scuttle over and light the wood aflame. A huge fire instantly blazed forth. Centiskorch and Rune had been actively radiating waves of heat to keep the rest of us warm until now, but this extra source of fire would help out a lot.

    They went right back to arguing afterward.

    Heracross, Armaldo, and Scizor were messing around with clumps of snow, each with minimal success. Either they used too much strength and crushed the heads of the poor snowmen they were making, or they were too clumsy with their claws and couldn¡¯t pack the snow together to begin with.

    At least they were having fun.

    Vespiquen and Araquanid were doing a quick search of the perimeter to ensure our safety. I didn¡¯t think anything up here would be able to threaten us to begin with, but you never knew. The rest of my Pokemon ¡ª Kricketune, Ribombee, Galvantula, and Golisopod ¡ª had huddled together near the fire to chat.

    A giant shape dropped from the sky. With its arrival, warmth bloomed in the air as I finally pulled out the portable photo printer. I didn¡¯t need to look to know the cause was Rune. The massive Volcarona peered over my shoulder as I tapped away at my phone screen.

    Half a minute later, we had three brand new photos fresh off the printing press. I let them sit still for a bit before picking them up.

    Rune snorted when he saw the borders I¡¯d chosen. Each picture was framed with an olive green background and the corny phrase BUGS 4EVER.

    ¡°Damn, we look good,¡± I whistled, flashing the photos at him.

    He rolled his eyes but didn¡¯t fly back into the sky, choosing instead to remain with me. I appreciated the extra heat and company as I started getting dinner ready.

    Out came a variety of sandwich ingredients from my backpack. Now that we had seen most of what we¡¯d wanted in Paldea, it would soon be time for us to move on. Where to, exactly, I had no idea yet, but that was a discussion best saved for tomorrow with the team.

    I figured having Paldea-style sandwiches one last time would be a great way to end our most recent trip, though.

    I got some help from the other Pokemon once they saw what I was up to. Before long, we¡¯d put together dozens of sandwiches, everything from vegetable to fried fillet to potato salad and more. I let my Pokemon choose the sandwich picks they wanted to top their meals with.

    We settled around the campfire to eat. Rune and Centiskorch were considerate of me and sat on either side to keep me warm. Thanks to them carefully regulating their own body temperatures and flames, I felt quite toasty.

    Dinner was fast. There was nothing to clean up, so everyone started getting cozy for our usual Music Night. Rune trudged behind me and curled his wings, letting some of them drape over me like a blanket as I leaned against him.

    On the other side of the campfire, Kricketune stood with a smile and bowed. Then long arms were brought together, and a melodious tune filled the night air from the ensuing vibrations. Some sort of folk song tonight it seemed. It sounded vaguely Sinnohan.

    Flygon lay nearby with half-closed eyes, but he never missed Music Night. I gazed at the sea of emerging night stars while he gave a gentle flap of his wings.

    They sang.

    The vibrations his wings produced came together as an otherworldly voice. Something ethereal I would never be able to pin down, but I didn¡¯t want to. I was content to listen to his duet with Kricketune.

    An unknown amount of time passed with us simply laying there under the stars.

    At some point, the music attracted a variety of wild Ice types like Cubchoo or Snom. They were intimidated by what they knew were very strong Pokemon, but with a little encouragement on my part, they eventually joined our campsite. Ribombee in particular did her best to make them feel welcome.

    Flygon eventually took a break to doze off, but that didn¡¯t stop Kricketune. He continued playing with boundless energy. Meanwhile, my Pokemon began to engage in quiet conversations. I scrolled through my phone for lack of something better to do.

    Spam, promotions and newsletters for services I was subscribed to¡­ ooh, and some battle requests from the International Battle Club.

    The IBC was a massive organization with members from all over the world. It basically functioned like a regional League of its own but catered more to serious trainers.

    And by serious, I meant people who were truly hardcore about Pokemon training and battling. These included not just regular Conference goers and people who attempted annual League Circuits, but also veteran trainers who quite literally battled for a living¡­ the ones who participated in professional tournaments.

    They had a global ranking system where you won or lost points depending on official battles between members, but that was just for prestige. I didn¡¯t really care about any of that.

    I simply liked battling.

    I didn¡¯t like League Circuits very much anymore because of the waiting game. They lasted almost all year and meant I had to wait that long to beat people up in the championship before I could challenge the Elite Four and Champion. The IBC, on the other hand, was a fast way for me to find strong ¡ª or at the very least interesting ¡ª opponents. It helped that I¡¯d built a reputation for myself, so I always had people wanting to challenge me.

    Back to the emails.

    Normally I¡¯d be grinning like a madman and sending positive responses to all of them, but not tonight.

    It was weird. I hadn¡¯t been feeling that spark recently. There was a creeping sense of¡­ something I couldn¡¯t get rid of, and I didn¡¯t like it. I¡¯d been feeling it more and more as of late.

    Maybe something was wrong with me.

    I ignored the emails for now and started scrolling idly through my Chatter feed instead.

    Surprise, surprise. Most of my timeline was filled with trending posts about ongoing League Circuits or Conferences. In fact, the Johto League Circuit was just about wrapping up. I clicked on a random Chat about the Cherrygrove Gym. The following clip that played showed a pink-haired guy using a Dedenne to demolish a trainer¡¯s Salazzle.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Gym Leader Arin Watanuki. I remembered that guy. He¡¯d crushed me in the Kalos League Circuit early on in my trainer career. To this day, he was one of the few people I¡¯d ever lost against. When the Kinjoh Area finally opened its borders a few years ago, I¡¯d immediately gone to explore the new regions and even tried to request a match at the Cherrygrove Gym.

    No such luck. The Gym had been booked solid for the next half year. I¡¯d try again another time if I was in the area.

    Anyway, poor challenger. It had been a match for his eighth gym badge. There was no way he was getting to the Conference now¡ª

    Whoosh.

    I didn¡¯t blink when a draconic Pokemon landed by the campfire. None of my Pokemon were surprised to see it either, but our wild Pokemon guests were a different story. They shrunk back as the Dragonite lumbered towards me with a friendly smile. It dug a clawed hand into the comically large messenger bag it wore and pulled out an envelope, presenting it to me with a flourish. I stood up as slowly as possible.

    This wasn¡¯t my first encounter with this particular Dragonite. Far from it.

    Don¡¯t shoot the messenger was what I had to remind myself as I accepted the object.

    ¡°Thanks¡­ again,¡± I said in a polite voice that bordered on sarcastic. The Dragonite smiled awkwardly at me before turning. With one flap of its tiny wings, it shot back into the air and disappeared.

    Now that it was gone, I let my facial features twist themselves into a full-on scowl.

    They never learned, did they? Annoyance and incredulity filled me in equal parts. How on earth was the Dragonite able to find me year after year?

    I glared daggers at the letter in my hand as if it held the answer.

    I didn¡¯t want to read it. I didn¡¯t have to because I had the whole thing memorized by heart anyway. It was the same old shit they always sent. Two letters every year over the course of five.

    This marked the tenth letter.

    I¡¯d tried rejecting the letter from my bi-annual Dragonite mailman, telling the Pokemon to relay a negative response back to the senders, and even penning a coldly-worded letter of my own with my signature as proof, but they didn¡¯t seem to care.

    They kept sending reminders.

    Stupid Unova League. Stupid government.

    Silence had befallen the clearing ever since the Dragonite left. Kricketune wasn¡¯t playing music anymore but watching me in silent concern. The rest of my Pokemon had stopped talking.

    They were all waiting for me to make a move.

    I wanted to just throw the letter away, but the detail-oriented part of me insisted that I read it anyway on the incredibly small chance that there was something different.

    I was still scowling as I tore the letter open. The campfire shed a warm light over its contents.

    NOTICE FROM THE UNOVA LEAGUE

    In Testimony of Truth and Ideals

    Dear Mr. Kayden Sterling,

    The Unova League would like to inform you that under new legislation, your due rights as a Unovan citizen will be protected more than ever. We would like to invite you to return to the country.

    In good faith, we grant you a full and unconditional¡ª

    Okay, I regretted ever opening the letter. There was no point reading the rest; I was tired of this garbage.

    I crumpled the paper, envelope and all, and slung my arm back to hurl the whole thing like a baseball. That was before I realized it wasn¡¯t good to litter. So, I threw the trash up in the air instead. A well-timed fireball from Rune turned it into miniscule ashes.

    A smattering of applause came from my team.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± I complained out loud, plopping back down on the ground. I held my phone with a death grip. ¡°I am so sick of these letters. Why can¡¯t they take no for an answer¡ª¡±

    My phone chose that moment to ring insistently. I paused mid-rant to glance at the screen. It was dad.

    We usually checked in on each other at least once every two weeks or so. It was mostly to assuage dad¡¯s anxiety since I traveled far distances fairly often. I contemplated letting it go to voicemail and pretending like I was asleep, but I could never say no to my dad.

    Not after everything I¡¯d put him through and what he¡¯d sacrificed for me.

    I took a breath before picking up the video call. A man¡¯s face filled the screen. From the cedar brown hair to the shape of his eyes and the way he scrunched his nose, it was obvious we were related. The only difference was that I had gold-colored eyes instead of green.

    Dad opened his mouth to say something, but then he paused.

    ¡°Oops! Sorry, son,¡± he apologized. One hand reached up to scratch his head. Behind him, I could see the clear blue skies of Alola. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize it was so late over there. Hope I didn¡¯t wake you up.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± I said, quick to shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s only¡­ 10 PM over here I think?¡±

    Dad breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Whew. I¡¯m never gonna understand time zones.¡±

    I chuckled. I felt the tension from earlier leave my shoulders as I made small talk with dad. It was nice seeing his face, and I was glad to hear he was doing great. Apparently he¡¯d picked up gardening as a new hobby.

    I was halfway through talking about my latest adventures in Paldea when dad interrupted.

    ¡°Okay, I was waiting for you to bring it up first, but since you haven¡¯t¡­¡± Dad trailed off, giving me ¡®the look.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kayden?¡±

    Sometimes, I wondered if it was the other way around and dad was the one who was the Bug Specialist. I thought I was good at reading people, but dad showed an almost uncanny ability for it sometimes.

    Or maybe it was just a dad thing.

    I didn¡¯t want to make him more worried, so I was honest about it. I told him about the letter.

    ¡°Every year,¡± I complained. Dad had listened to me go on and on without interrupting a single time. ¡°Every. Single. Year! I wish they¡¯d stop sending them already.¡±

    ¡°Well, you have to praise their tenacity, I suppose?¡± Dad offered weakly. ¡°Just like Bugs?¡±

    I scoffed out loud.

    ¡°Just like Bugs,¡± I begrudgingly admitted. ¡°Anyway, I could care less about Unova. I¡¯d rather keep traveling.¡±

    We were silent. Some of my Pokemon approached me from behind and smooshed their faces into the frame, wanting to say hi to dad during the lull in conversation.

    He laughed, waving energetically at them. As soon as that laugh died, though, he looked at me with a serious expression.

    ¡°Kayden. You know¡­¡± he began. He stopped, clearly searching for the right words to say. I waited patiently. ¡°Are you happy with your current lifestyle?¡±

    That question caught me completely off guard.

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± I replied almost instantly, ¡®almost¡¯ being the key word. There¡¯d been a brief pause. ¡°My team and I have so much fun traveling and winning fights. I¡¯ve picked up so many new skills and pieces of knowledge, too.¡±

    It was true. I¡¯d spent years traveling around the world in search of new experiences and adventures, whatever kept me and my Pokemon busy and happy.

    ¡°Right, right¡­ The International Battle Club, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one, but let¡¯s go back to your initial question. What does any of this have to do with our conversation?¡±

    I didn¡¯t have to wait long.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it ever get tiring?¡± Dad asked not in a condescending manner, but a gentle one. ¡°Doing so many things at once? I¡¯m worried, Kayden. Sometimes I feel like you¡¯re running yourself ragged.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I fell silent.

    That feeling from before had come back, and it was like an itch I couldn¡¯t quite scratch. I felt unsettled.

    ¡°I just do my best to live life to the fullest,¡± I finally said, voice unusually somber. Memories flashed in my mind. So did certain Pokemon. ¡°Life is precious. I like experiencing everything I can.¡±

    ¡°I know, son,¡± came dad¡¯s equally quiet reply. I think he knew what I was thinking about. ¡°I know you do. It¡¯s a good mindset to have, and I¡¯ll always support whatever you do. Just¡­ sometimes it¡¯s okay to take a break, you know? A real one.¡±

    Uh oh, I didn¡¯t like where this was going¡ª

    ¡°How does a trip back to Unova sound?¡±

    Great. I knew it. I knew dad was gonna somehow lead into that.

    ¡°After everything I¡ª no, we went through?¡± I said in an incredulous voice.

    ¡°After everything we went through,¡± Dad repeated with a sage nod of his head. He smiled gently at me. ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t miss Castelia even a little, do you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said hotly, but dad gave me his famous look again.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie, and you and I both know it,¡± he chided with a good-natured smile. If only I was a kid again, then I would have outright sulked right there and then.

    ¡°Fine. I do miss it a little,¡± I admitted.

    Behind me, Rune nudged my elbow comfortingly with his head. I gave him an idle pat with my free hand. He knew I got antsy whenever Unova came up.

    ¡°I know how you feel about the Unova League and government, but you shouldn¡¯t let those feelings mar your feelings towards our homeland,¡± Dad said softly. ¡°At least, I hope you won¡¯t. Even after everything that happened, I know I still have pleasant memories of where we used to live.¡±

    I gave a non-committed hum of agreement in response.

    ¡°It could be fun to see how much has stayed the same or changed in two decades, you know? You could also see for yourself if the Unova League truly changed for the better,¡± Dad continued. ¡°Use the trip as a chance to really kick back and relax.¡±

    That¡­ didn¡¯t sound so terrible.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I finally said out loud.

    Dad smiled as if he¡¯d already won.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry again about everything,¡± I suddenly muttered, and I wasn¡¯t talking about the present. All this talk about Unova was digging up unpleasant memories.

    Dad understood. He shot me a reprimanding look.

    ¡°I thought we¡¯d buried this hatchet a long time ago. Don¡¯t ever apologize again, Kayden. It was never your fault. Anyway, I want to stay and chat more, but I gotta go to work soon. You don¡¯t have to take my suggestion, but at least think about it. Talk to you later?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said in as cheerful a voice as I could manage. ¡°Talk to you later. Say hi to Kanani and Kale for me?¡±

    ¡°I will. Good night, Kayden.¡±

    The call ended, and I was left with a wide mix of emotions.

    When I announced I was going to sleep early, none of my Pokemon called me out on it. I felt their concerned gazes on me as I slumped against Rune¡¯s side and closed my eyes.

    My feelings toward Unova were¡­ complicated. Very complicated, yet dad had a point.

    I was mostly mad at the government, not at the country itself. And¡­ I did miss the place where I had been born and raised. I guess homesickness never really went away, did it?

    Did I want to visit Unova again or not? I thought maybe a good night¡¯s sleep would help me mull over things.

    It did, but at the cost of me turning and tossing, turning, tossing, and doing it all over again.

    It was a wonder Rune didn¡¯t get annoyed and burn me to a crisp for bumping into him so many times.

    Sighing, I snapped my eyes open from troubled sleep and sprang to my feet. The rest of the gang was still awake even at this late hour.

    ¡°Sorry, I know I usually ask you guys where we want to go next after our current trip ends, but¡­¡± I sucked in a breath, jerking a thumb behind me in the direction of what lay beyond. ¡°Wanna visit Unova? Like now?¡±

    Maybe there was a part of me that hoped someone would disagree, but my Pokemon gave resounding yeses. There was a certain look in their eyes, and Rune had the most knowing expression of all.

    I heaved a sigh.

    Great. We were going to Unova.

    I put out the fire first and cleaned up our campsite. Then I bid the wild Pokemon goodbye and returned everyone minus Flygon to their Pokeballs.

    ¡°Alright, bud, let¡¯s get moving,¡± I said, and I threw myself onto the dragon¡¯s back.

    He gave an excited screech before shooting off into the skies. After I explained which direction to go, I closed my eyes to get some much needed shuteye. I felt Flygon accelerating with every flap of his wings.

    This was going to be a short trip, I swore to myself right then and there. I would try to think of it as a vacation like dad suggested and go into things with an open mind.

    Hours later, I woke up to much different scenery. We weren¡¯t in Paldea anymore but somewhere above the seas south of Unova. We were getting real close, though.

    I realized I¡¯d forgotten to book a hotel and other crap before setting off, so I went and did that to keep myself busy. Some time later, we finally approached Unova¡¯s southern border. I directed Flygon to land at a border checkpoint ¡ª a small fortress built on an artificial island ¡ª down below on the open waters. If I hadn¡¯t, someone would have gone out to greet us anyway, so I spared them the trouble.

    I didn¡¯t particularly want to make trouble in Unova anyway. Border security was no joke.

    The moment Flygon alighted on a designated landing pad, two uniformed guards on standby came up to us. I didn¡¯t bother dismounting from Flygon¡¯s back as I handed them my trainer card and flying license.

    One of them went through the database on a tablet he was holding while the other gave me a polite yet scrutinizing stare.

    I was honestly surprised when the guard holding my identification gave them back without so much as blinking an eye. I thought there¡¯d be something about me in the government¡¯s database, maybe something like ¡®beware of this guy¡¯ in fat red letters.

    ¡°Long time since you were last in Unova, huh?¡± the guard said conversationally. He smiled, gesturing to the sky. ¡°Well, welcome back!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ thanks.¡±

    My expression was stuck somewhere between confusion and relief as Flygon took off once more, this time for my hometown.

    I still found it weird that they hadn¡¯t stopped me from entering the country. Why?

    Unofficially, I was a criminal. Sort of.

 Chapter 2

    CHAPTER 2

    Most six-year-olds dreamed about becoming the next Champion. If not that, then they wished for smaller things like no more homework or endless chocolate fountains.

    Not me. I was more concerned about living expenses.

    People flocked to Castelia from all walks of life. It was the so-called city of dreams and countless opportunities, but the simple reality was that not everyone could make it big.

    Some of us were just busy trying to survive.

    Mom was a failed actress turned local diner waitress. Meanwhile, dad worked as a bellhop at a hotel in Central. He¡¯d wanted to be a trainer in his youth but gave up when he realized he didn¡¯t have the talent. Their wages weren¡¯t much, and oftentimes we counted more on the tips they got as windfalls. We lived in a tiny apartment in one of the shadier neighborhoods in Lower Castelia.

    We¡¯d probably still be living there, too, if not for certain circumstances.

    <hr>

    20 YEARS AGO. CASTELIA CITY, UNOVA.

    Berry told me he was hungry.

    In response, I gulped nervously. My small hands tightened their hold on our family Sewaddle. He¡¯d been with us for about a year now. I¡¯d found him rooting through trash in an alley after school one day. Some trainer hadn¡¯t wanted him anymore and dumped him there. Jerk. Sure, Berry was a bit old and had problems changing directions, but he was really friendly.

    As sad as it was, Berry¡¯s story was not an uncommon one. Bugs weren¡¯t exactly the most popular Pokemon. Young trainers liked picking them up because they weren¡¯t hard to handle, but a lot of the time they lost patience with how weak they were in their early stages.

    Well, he was ours now.

    Our apartment (and our finances) didn¡¯t allow Pokemon, but the landlord had folded after dad pleaded with her for hours to make an exception. I was still grateful to my parents for letting me keep Berry. I think they felt bad because it was the one time I¡¯d actually asked for something. I never pestered my parents for anything, not when I constantly saw mom and dad huddled around the table poring over bills late at night.

    I didn¡¯t want to add onto their troubles, which was exactly why I was trying my hardest to ignore the fact that I could understand Berry.

    He wiggled a bit in my arms as we continued walking through Eli Park. Dad was with me on a rare day off. Mom couldn¡¯t join our family outing because she was working an extra shift at the diner.

    Berry called my name again. He said he didn¡¯t want me to use up my energy carrying him, and that he could walk for himself. He also repeated that he was hungry.

    I felt bad, but I avoided eye contact with the Sewaddle and kept walking.

    Hearing voices was never a good thing. Usually it meant you had to go to a hospital.

    I hadn¡¯t been able to understand Berry at first. Everything started a couple months ago when I¡¯d begun to hear a sort of¡­ buzzing sound in my head, sometimes, as I walked through the city. It took me another week to realize it was usually when I visited Castelia¡¯s largest park with dad, and then it took me another week to realize it was when I was in the vicinity of Bug type Pokemon.

    The buzzing developed into fragmented words and eventually complete phrases.

    Case in point, here I was today able to communicate with Berry. I didn¡¯t talk to him when there were other people around, of course. That would have raised multiple alarms.

    I was confused at first, but I thought being able to understand Pokemon was cool. I idolized our city¡¯s Bug Gym Leader, Marcus, and I liked Bug type Pokemon. The way they fought to survive resonated with me.

    My delight had disappeared when I found out the truth.

    I thought I¡¯d do research on whatever the heck was happening to me. I took myself to the Castelia Public Library after classes ended one day and rooted through books in the history section. The librarians on duty had given me weird looks for reading books six-year-olds usually had no business reading, but I¡¯d been too busy trying to stave off a terrible feeling from seeping into my bones.

    It differed by region, but parents told their kids that the bogeyman ¡ª usually Dusknoir, Gengar, or Chandelure ¡ª would come for them if they behaved badly.

    In Unova, there was one other cautionary tale that was passed on from parents to children and taught to older students in history lessons: Ability Holders, those who possessed supernatural abilities related to Pokemon.

    Researchers and scholars still debated where and when exactly Ability Holders had come from. Some people argued they were distant descendants of the Heroes of Truth and Ideals. Others thought they simply came to be as a result of humans long coexisting with Pokemon.

    Whatever the case, they had a particularly long history in Unova¡­ a notorious one.

    There had been wars waged by and between Ability Holders in bygone ages. People who, with the power to control Pokemon, had used their abilities to conquer lands and inflict violence.

    One civil war in particular caused a fire so large that it ravaged an entire forest where many Pokemon lived. At least the Swords of Justice saved them.

    The point was this: I was 99.9% sure I was one of those Ability Holders, and it rattled my very being.

    You didn¡¯t want to be an Ability Holder, not in Unova twenty years ago at least.

    The public was afraid of them. Scorned them, even. Being an Ability Holder was also a one-way ticket to getting yourself constantly monitored by the League. That included mandatory check-ins, interviews and examinations to make sure you weren¡¯t going to go off the deep end, and basically having a label attached to you for the rest of your life.

    You were supposed to report to the government if you were an Ability Holder. Then they¡¯d add you to national and international Ability Holder registries, and you¡¯d be under public and federal scrutiny from that point on. If they deemed you dangerous enough, things got a lot more serious and even involved confinement or ¡®rehabilitation.¡¯

    Obviously, all of that scared six-year-old me a LOT.

    I didn¡¯t want anyone to know. I didn¡¯t want anyone to look at me differently as if I was some sort of villain. I just wanted to live my life.

    So here I was, keeping mum about it all. I thought I was doing a pretty good job at it.

    That was until dad sat me down on a bench in a quiet part of the park and knelt down in front of me. The serious expression on his face combined with his next words almost made me forget how to breathe.

    ¡°Kayden, you¡¯re hiding something, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I hugged Berry more tightly to my chest, only letting up when the Sewaddle let out a protest. I hoped I didn¡¯t look too spooked.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I retorted. I would have said more, but I shut my mouth when dad raised a brow. He started holding up fingers while he spoke.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ you¡¯ve barely spoken a word to me since we got here. You used to love taking walks in the park, too, but you don¡¯t even ask me to hang out with you anymore recently. I had to basically drag you with me today. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to know something¡¯s wrong,¡± he explained dryly.

    Fudge balls. I slumped in my seat, biting my lip. I didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Did you break something in the apartment?¡± Dad asked in a joking tone, trying to continue the conversation. When I still didn¡¯t respond, he sighed.

    ¡°Kayden,¡± Dad called softly. He placed a hand on my shoulder, eyes searching my own. ¡°Whatever it is, I promise I won¡¯t get mad. I¡¯m just really worried about you.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help it. I really couldn¡¯t. All the stress that had been building up since I learned about my Ability combined with the parental worry from dad had me bawling in seconds.

    Dad immediately sat next to me on the bench and wrapped me up in a tight hug. Berry wiggled his way out of the embrace and onto my shoulder instead, rubbing my face with his in a comforting gesture.

    About twenty minutes passed before I had calmed down enough to talk. By talk, I meant whispering my secret into dad¡¯s ear because I was afraid of someone somehow hearing. I felt like a criminal waiting to be judged as I leaned back in my seat and waited for dad¡¯s reaction.

    Contrary to any and all expectations I had, he hugged me again, this time in a more protective manner. He was trembling.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be okay,¡± he told me. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be okay.¡±

    I clung to his words like a lifeline.

    I believed him. I wanted to.

    That day, dad and I agreed we would keep my Ability under wraps. That meant not even telling mom because the fewer people that knew, the better. He didn¡¯t want a life for me where the Unovan government would hang like a constant shadow over my shoulder.

    Life went on.

    Six months later, everything was pretty much still the same.

    We were still living in our crappy little apartment, mom and dad were still trying to make ends meet, and my secret was still safe.

    There was one positive difference: dad had recently been promoted to a bell captain at work for his numerous years of service.

    The promotion came with a surprisingly hefty bonus and a higher hourly wage. My parents were already looking for a nicer, safer neighborhood to relocate to. It was going to practically deplete our savings, but they thought it was worth it.

    That day, I approached the living room with a paper in hand. On my way, droplets of water hit my hair. I frowned and looked up at the ceiling. It was leaking again in about three new spots. I made a detour for the supply closet and pulled out battered plastic buckets, sticking them under the spots of trickling water.

    They¡¯d fill up fast in a couple hours, but this was good enough for now.

    I made my way to the living room again. Mom and dad were, as usual, looking over living expenses and calculating what we¡¯d need to put aside for the next month.

    They looked up when I trudged in and presented the paper in my hand to them.

    ¡°There¡¯s going to be a field trip next week,¡± I explained. ¡°It¡¯s at the Relic Castle.¡±

    The ruins had been discovered a long time ago, but even after decades, their massive subterranean depths still weren¡¯t fully explored yet. Last year, there were rumors of plans to open the ruins to the civilian public as a historical landmark. Said plans had finally come to fruition. Only the small entrance area and first floor were available to the public due to safety reasons, though. More than a few tour groups led by qualified guides had already visited and written their reviews online.

    I was lucky enough to live in a city with a distinguished Pokemon Professor. Professor Quint made a lot of guest appearances at schools and academies in Castelia, and he¡¯d been kind enough to sponsor a few field trips to the ruins. My school was one of the lucky chosen ones.

    I saw mom¡¯s brows furrow as she scanned the paper, and I was quick to speak up. I knew she was probably checking to see how much money we had to pay for the trip.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t cost anything,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°The Professor¡¯s paying for the class¡¯s travel expenses.¡±

    Mom¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Oh sweetie, that¡¯s not¡­¡± she trailed off, flustered. ¡°Kayden, don¡¯t worry about that. Here, let me sign the paper.¡±

    She hurriedly grabbed a pen to mark the paper with. There was a whole section with questions like if your child had ever Teleported before, did they want to bring a family Pokemon along, medical history, etc. All standard stuff.

    She jotted down thorough answers to all of them and checkmarked the box giving permission for Teleport. The class would be getting warped straight to the ruins with the help of League Psychic types. After mom signed her name, she passed the paper back to me with a smile.

    I was about to take it before dad intercepted the paper.

    We both looked at him in confusion.

    He simply grinned, grabbing a pen from the table to checkmark a box. ¡°It says here they¡¯re looking for parent chaperones! We were always so busy that we didn¡¯t get to participate in any of the Take Your Parent to School Days. I have more paid days off now that I got promoted. Hope you don¡¯t mind me coming along, Kayden.¡±

    I knew he wasn¡¯t going to embarrass me or anything, but I gave him a poor imitation of his famous ¡®look.¡¯

    ¡°Please be on your best behavior, dad.¡±

    He barked out a laugh.

    I wasn¡¯t especially interested in ruins, but I was still excited for the field trip. I didn¡¯t get a lot of chances to do stuff like this considering our financial situation.

    A week couldn¡¯t come fast enough.

    <hr>

    20 YEARS AGO. DAY OF THE FIELD TRIP. RELIC CASTLE, DESERT RESORT. UNOVA.

    My class only got a scant few seconds to check out the Relic Castle¡¯s exterior before we were ushered inside by our teacher and Professor Quint. As per rules set in place by the government, we only had a limited amount of time to view the ruins before we had to make space for the next tour group.

    ¡°Would anyone like to guess how old these ruins are?¡± Professor Quint asked with a smile.

    Hands shot up into the air, but mine wasn¡¯t among them. The Professor chattered on while I swiveled my head, looking around me with interest. I also had to try very hard not to roll my eyes when I heard faint snickering from my left. There were two boys in my class ¡ª Hayden and Mitch ¡ª who liked to think of themselves as the top dogs. They picked on a lot of people, but I was by far their favorite target.

    Their reasons were lame and stupid. I was scrawny, poor, and I associated myself with Bugs.

    Our school allowed family Pokemon to be brought to class so long as they behaved, so I usually brought Berry with me everywhere for company. (It was also so I could take advantage of the school cafeteria and feed the Sewaddle more food.)

    I¡¯d taken Berry with me on this field trip, too. He was hanging out on my shoulder and being quiet like I¡¯d asked him to be before we left the apartment. Good boy.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw our class bullies point fingers at me and Berry. The best tactic was ignoring idiocy, so I did that and focused on my surroundings instead.

    Relic Castle was huge.

    We were restricted to the first floor, but it didn¡¯t matter considering how impossibly wide it was. Plains of sand stretched out across cobbled, well-worn flooring. Our teacher had warned us in advance of quicksand, but there was no need for worry in the first place. The government had already sealed off all such pits with barricades, steel, and tarp. What else was there¡­ I raised my head. The ceiling loomed far above in half-darkness. Strange, half-broken murals adorned it.

    I was able to make out their details somehow. I hadn¡¯t told dad, but it felt like my eyesight had been getting¡­ sharper lately. It wasn¡¯t only my eyesight, but my hearing, too. I hoped it was nothing strange.

    What I noticed more than the ancient writing on the walls and the sparkling sand was how warm this whole place was.

    A pleasant heat filled the air. It somehow radiated from the floors up through the soles of my sneakers and into my body. I attributed it to the sand and the arid environment outside, but¡­ no, never mind.

    Dad stood with two other parent chaperones a few feet away. When I caught his eye, he smiled and waved discreetly. I waved back once I made sure the other adults weren¡¯t looking.

    I started paying attention again to Professor Quint after that. A lot of what he was saying about the ruins was actually interesting. Apparently, it was estimated to have been built over two thousand years ago. He was in the middle of explaining the legend of the Twin Heroes when I heard it.

    Tremors. I almost thought I was imagining things, but I felt the ground shake ever so slightly. Then¡ª

    Everything happened so fast.

    People screamed¡ª

    Sand and rocks flew everywhere¡ª

    Two crocodilian Pokemon were locked in a fight¡ª

    A gaping hole¡ª

    Dad lunged for me with a panicked expression¡ª

    And the world spun into complete and utter black.

    <hr>

    I woke up with a gasp and hot tears sliding down my cheeks. My left leg felt like it had been torn off. My thoughts went haywire as I mentally screamed.

    It hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS, SOMEONE HELP¡ª

    I wanted to check if my leg was actually still attached or not, but I couldn¡¯t. It was so dark for some reason. I couldn¡¯t see anything. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as the gears in my mind spun frantically.

    What¡ª What happened? I thought I remembered¡­ hearing a crack, and then¡­

    A hole opened up in the ground. Gigantic figures. Two Pokemon that emerged from the sand. Krookodiles.

    Had the floor collapsed from their territorial fight?

    I shifted in place and groaned as pain shot forward in waves from my leg. Okay, so my left leg was still there. It was probably sprained or broken, though.

    Why was it so dark? And what was I sitting on? It felt strangely durable and elastic. I used my hand to press down lightly on the space next to me. Yep, whatever I was on was elastic alright. I forgot about that for a moment, my mind flashing to Berry and dad instead. Were they okay?

    I didn¡¯t want to die here in the darkness.

    I wiped away my tears, trying to ignore the pain and despair that were setting in. With awkward motions, I pawed at the air around me, trying to get a sense of my bearings in the darkness. Once, twice, thrice¡­ I felt elastic surfaces a few times. It felt like I was in something. Then I recoiled when my hand suddenly bumped into something that was distinctly not elastic.

    I didn¡¯t have any more time to investigate. I jolted in place when I felt heat at the back of my neck and crawled backwards as far as I could go in the strange, enclosed space I was in. I tried not to bite my tongue from the agony of shifting my leg. It was getting hot very, very fast here. My heartbeat accelerated.

    A dot of fiery light appeared in the darkness. It grew exponentially in an instant, and I yelped when flames suddenly appeared in front of my face. They were so close they almost touched me before dissipating.

    I stared out into the newly made hole. My eyes needed a moment to adjust to the difference in lighting, but¡­ I felt myself calming down now that I could actually see.

    Thanks to the light spilling in from outside, I could now identify the elastic stuff from before as silk. I¡¯d been inside some sort of thick, cocoon-like structure. My attention was held more by a certain creature. Bright blue eyes stared curiously at me, and they belonged to a fuzzy, larva-like Pokemon with red horns. A memory poked at my mind, some featured article I¡¯d read in a science magazine at school.

    I was pretty sure I was staring at a Larvesta.

    They were rare, really rare, and their evolution was still worshiped in some remote areas of Unova. Champion Alder was the only one in our region who owned a Volcarona. In the rest of the Galovea Continent, I was pretty sure there were only two other trainers with a Larvesta or Volcarona that people talked about on the Pokenet. One of them was a researcher from Paldea, and the other was an old trainer who¡¯d retired to Alola.

    ¡°T-Thanks?¡± I stammered. For searing the cocoon open went unsaid.

    The Larvesta stared at me without moving. I decided to forget about it for a moment and check what I had touched before, so I turned around.

    My eyes widened.

    ¡°DAD!¡±

    Further inside the cocoon, Dad lay on his back unmoving. The exclamation ripped itself from my throat as I threw myself forward. On his forehead, there was a huge bump and some blood. I pressed a trembling hand first to his chest and then to his neck. I almost had a meltdown when I couldn¡¯t feel a heartbeat, but my shoulders soon sagged with relief.

    It was slow and faint, but a heartbeat was there.

    ¡°Dad! Dad!¡± I cried, but he didn¡¯t respond. He was out cold.

    It was then that I noticed the round lump lying a foot away. It was a Swadloon.

    A Swadloon and a cocoon of silk. My mind connected the dots almost instantly.

    Berry must have been the one who saved me and dad from instant death while we fell, and he¡¯d evolved from the stress of the situation in the process. Otherwise, there was no way he could have spat out this much silk as a Sewaddle.

    ¡°Berry¡­?¡± I called out hesitantly.

    He didn¡¯t move.

    It was only when I rolled the Pokemon over on his side that Berry finally replied in a weak voice. That was the only confirmation of life I got from him before he fainted. His cloak of leaves was halfway torn to complete shreds, and he looked as haggard as he sounded.

    I instinctively knew he¡¯d pushed himself far more than he should have to save us.

    It took me a bit to carefully pull dad and Berry out of the cocoon, and it was more so because of dad than anything else. I was a child attempting to drag a full-grown man. My throbbing leg didn¡¯t help matters either.

    Thankfully, I managed it in the end with some effort. Now that I was fully out of the cocoon, I took a look around my surroundings.

    We were in some sort of narrow passage. It was hot enough that beads of sweat glistened on my forehead. Sand poured down from small holes in the rugged ceiling and formed piles on the ground. Around me, brick walls full of small carvings and inscriptions stretched out until the ends of the hall. I didn¡¯t recognize the language.

    There was a huge pile of rubble close by that stacked all the way to the ceiling. I saw a hole up there plugged by rocks from when the roof collapsed. I could only assume that was where we¡¯d fallen from.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I was more shocked to see the people lying near the rubble.

    There were three figures. The first was one of the parent chaperones. She had her arms around two of my classmates, Hayden and a girl named Nicole. Cuts and bruises littered the visible parts of their skin. I was afraid they were dead for a moment, but then I saw the rise and fall of all their chests. They were still alive. They weren¡¯t exactly on the ground but half-submerged in a massive ball of cotton instead. The Cottonee hopping anxiously up and down by them clued me in on how they¡¯d survived.

    Good thing Nicole had brought her family Pokemon along.

    I strained my ears, but I couldn¡¯t hear any sounds from above. No people shouting our names, no sounds of movement¡­ nothing.

    ¡°HELLO?¡± I shouted, just to be sure. My voice echoed. I waited a couple seconds, but no one answered. I¡¯d initially thought we were a floor below or something, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case anymore.

    We were¡­ We were really far down, it seemed. It was a miracle we¡¯d all survived.

    I slumped to the ground with a miserable expression. It didn¡¯t help that my leg sent twinges of pain throughout my body every other second.

    We weren¡¯t going to die down here, were we? Surely the Rangers or someone would come get us soon?

    I was struggling to take calm breaths in and out when the Larvesta from before headbutted my non-injured leg. Hard.

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    He was lucky one of his horns hadn¡¯t stabbed me, or else I¡¯d really be mad.

    I glared at him, but my gaze softened when I realized the headbutt wasn¡¯t out of malice. It was kind of hard to tell, but somehow I knew the Larvesta was only curious. I could sense it.

    He¡¯d probably never seen a human before.

    It was more out of habit than anything, but I checked furtively left and right before facing the Larvesta.

    ¡°Do you know a way out of here? Like to the surface?¡± I asked hopefully.

    My hope fell when Larvesta shook his head. He¡¯d lived down here his whole life.

    Great.

    ¡°And¡­ how long is that?¡±

    Many, many sun cycles apparently. I had no idea what he was talking about considering you couldn¡¯t find a sun underground, but when I asked him to elaborate, he gave me this weird explanation about a sleeping herald of summer.

    This was getting nowhere. At least this Larvesta was friendly. Then again¡­ Bugs seemed to like me in general.

    I sighed, letting my head hit the wall of the passage. It wasn¡¯t like I could try exploring given the state of my leg, so the only thing I could do was sit around and wait for help.

    I tried not to think about how long that would take. I had no idea how far we¡¯d fallen, and I could only assume the Rangers would have to deal with the wild Pokemon who lived in the ruins on their way to get us. Being trapped underground sucked.

    My leg started to scream more with pain at this point, so with nothing better to do, I started talking to one of the two other conscious living beings in the room: Larvesta.

    Talking out loud definitely helped distract myself from the pain. I told Larvesta stories about the rundown apartment my family lived in, the school I went to, and even what I had for breakfast that morning. Every now and then, I checked to make sure dad and Berry were still breathing.

    Larvesta was a funny little guy. He talked in a tone that reminded me of a grandpa, which¡­ I guess made sense if he was as old as he said he was. He also asked a lot of questions about the surface, some of which I had trouble answering in easy enough terms for him to understand.

    ¡°You¡¯d have to see for yourself,¡± I said at one point. ¡°It¡¯s not easy living on the, uh, surface, but it can be fun, Larvesh¡ª Larvesta. Ugh. It¡¯s annoying trying to say your full species name. Can I call you Lar?¡±

    The displeased hiss from Larvesta had me backtracking immediately. He didn¡¯t like that.

    ¡°Never mind. What about¡­ Vesta?¡±

    I realized as an afterthought that that was what Champion Alder called his Volcarona. This Larvesta? He hated that shortened version of his name, too.

    I sighed. He was so picky. ¡°What do you want me to call you then? Just Larvesta?¡±

    The Pokemon thought for a moment before veering left. I stopped walking and watched as Larvesta paced around the wall, almost as if he was looking for something. He eventually poked a symbol carved on the wall with one of his horns.

    I squinted at the symbol. It looked like¡­ It looked like¡­

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know what that means,¡± I said with a shrug of my shoulders. Ancient languages were not exactly taught in public school. ¡°What does it mean? Is that your name?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t. Larvesta told me he didn¡¯t know what the symbol was, he simply liked the shape. He even pointed out a few other symbols he liked the appearance of.

    In spite of the horrible situation I was in, I laughed. This was unbelievable.

    ¡°How about I call you Rune then? Easy enough for me to say.¡±

    Larvesta smiled.

    I was having more fun than I expected while being trapped underground of all places.

    Some time later, the Rangers still weren¡¯t here yet. I turned my head slowly from one side to the other, staring at the endless sands and the paths that led further into the ruins, presumably to more identical passages. Maybe scholars would have jumped at this opportunity, but I was tired and hurt. It all looked bleak to me.

    ¡°Do you ever get lonely down here?¡± I asked.

    Rune didn¡¯t answer, but that was a reply in itself. I looked at the larva Pokemon next to me with a frown. I wasn¡¯t sure how big an average Larvesta was supposed to be, but this guy was¡­ small. Scrawny, even, and he had some bruises and scuff marks across his body.

    When I asked if they were from fighting wild Pokemon, Rune answered with an affirmative. He had to fight over certain sources of food, he had to fight to secure a sleeping space, and he had to fight if he wanted to see a new day. Lots and lots of fighting. The Pokemon down here were strong.

    Even Pokemon had it hard.

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy living underground either, is it?¡± I mused out loud.

    We were lucky no other wild Pokemon had come across us yet. Getting attacked by predators on top of being trapped underground would have made chances of survival drop to nearly zero. A new question popped into my head while I was thinking about what other Pokemon lived down here.

    I tilted my head with furrowed brows. ¡°Now that I¡¯m thinking about it¡­ How¡¯d you find us anyway?¡±

    Rune looked at me like I was stupid. He said he¡¯d heard me calling for help.

    ¡°Inside the cocoon? I didn¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t think I said anything.¡±

    The Larvesta nodded his head insistently. I had.

    I mean, I hadn¡¯t said anything out loud. There was no way he heard my thoughts, though, right?

    Right?

    I was torn out of my thoughts when I heard a groan.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± a familiar voice got out.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Relief flooded my facial features as I awkwardly crawled over to him, ignoring how my leg screamed as I bumped into tiny rocks. Rune followed me with a curious expression.

    ¡°Kayden¡­?¡± Dad croaked out. His eyes were open now, and they focused on my face with great difficulty. He was still out of it. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied, clutching his calloused hand. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Could be better,¡± Dad replied in a lighthearted tone. He tried to smile, but he ended up coughing a few times instead. ¡°As long as¡­ you¡¯re fine¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t finish. Dad¡¯s words trailed off until his eyelids fluttered shut again.

    ¡°No!¡± I yelled, panicking. ¡°Dad, stay awake!¡±

    I squeezed his hand, but that didn¡¯t rouse him back to reality. His heartbeat felt like it was getting fainter and fainter, too.

    Waiting around wasn¡¯t an option anymore. Dad needed medical attention NOW, but I didn¡¯t know what to do. There wasn¡¯t anything I could do in the first place. I was just a kid stuck underground with a bunch of unconscious people and Pokemon. Rune and my classmate¡¯s Cottonee weren¡¯t going to be of much help in getting everyone back up to the surface.

    I felt my breathing grow harsher and harsher as I squeezed my eyes shut. I was slipping into full-on panic. Come on, there had to be something I could try. Anything¡ª

    My eyes snapped open. I stared contemplatively at Rune.

    He¡¯d said he¡¯d heard me calling for help. I knew for a fact I hadn¡¯t verbally said anything. It was crazy, but¡­ what if this had something to do with my Ability? What if I could somehow¡­ reach out to Bugs with my mind?

    It reminded me of a comic I¡¯d read before at the public library. The plot included an evil scientist that commanded his army of robots through a mind network thingy. Maybe I was capable of something remotely similar.

    I had no idea if there were more Bug types in the area, but Rune¡¯s existence here proved how resilient Bugs were. Maybe there were more Larvesta like him or even a Volcarona I could fly on. I didn¡¯t care.

    I wanted any kind of help. I wanted to save dad somehow.

    I was going into this blind. I had a feeling I looked pretty ugly as I scrunched my eyes and nose in concentration, awkwardly trying to ¡®reach out¡¯ with my mind. Since Rune had reacted to my desperation, maybe I needed to channel some serious emotion into it.

    Help. Help me, please, I thought. My small hands curled into fists so tight that my nails almost drew blood.

    I took a deep breath, trying to imagine my mind as something physically reaching out to the surroundings.

    Please help me, I repeated over and over.

    Nothing.

    I only grew more desperate.

    Raw emotions bled into my thoughts as I kept up my seemingly foolish endeavor. I focused on the pain in my leg. I focused on dad¡¯s barely breathing form. I focused on Berry, the parent chaperone, and my two classmates who were lying nearby.

    HELP ME. I WANT TO LIVE. I WANT TO LIVE.

    A strangled yell tore itself from my throat when I felt something. A buzzing sound filled my head, and it wasn¡¯t going away. It reminded me of when my Ability had first emerged months ago and I¡¯d hear endless buzzing at the park.

    COMING. COMING. STAY.

    It was like a hundred voices were speaking in my head at once. A headache so painful that it threatened to send me keeling over took root in my mind. I almost felt like throwing up. It felt like I¡¯d tapped into something, like a¡­ like a network of different minds. The buzzing disappeared, but I could still feel their lingering presence. There was something else, too.

    Even with the intense headache, I could feel another faint presence in the void of my mind. It felt warm. Almost too warm. I reached out to it curiously with my mind¡ª

    THE SUN FLASHED. IT BLINDED ME.

    I instantly recoiled from the mental imagery. The presence was gone.

    I also had to throw up from the second wave of nausea that hit me. Rune had the misfortune of getting to see the breakfast I¡¯d described for him earlier with his own eyes.

    As I wiped my mouth, I decided I didn¡¯t want to know what the hell just happened. I¡¯d at least made contact with some Bugs or so I believed. My confidence only ballooned further when Rune confirmed he¡¯d heard my mental voice again.

    Now I waited impatiently to see who had responded. I didn¡¯t have to wait long.

    I got deja vu when I felt the ground tremble, but I forced myself to stay calm. My face paled, though, when things eventually broke through the floor.

    Dozens and dozens of rock crabs ¡ª Dwebble and Crustle alike ¡ª scuttled toward me.

    The already narrow passage was flooded with them at this point. I couldn¡¯t even begin to count how many of them there were. At their cast¡¯s forefront was their leader. Crustle were native to Unova and not exactly uncommon, but I¡¯d never heard of one growing this large before. The shell it carried was almost as tall as the ceiling, and the numerous scars it carried suggested a long and arduous life. It had to be at least nine or ten feet tall.

    Three tiny Dwebble peeked curiously at me from atop the Crustle¡¯s shell. I tried my best not to flinch as the giant approached me. Beside me, Rune tensed.

    Crustle¡¯s eyes gave a cursory glance over my figure and the people and Pokemon behind me. He raised a thick claw, and I really thought I was going to die from getting my head bashed in.

    He held it out in a peaceful gesture instead. I stared at him as the crab asked if I still needed help. He had a gruff but not unkind voice.

    I was still bewildered by the situation but had enough sense left to bob my head up and down in silent vigor.

    ¡°Up to the first floor please,¡± I managed to get out in a faint voice.

    In the matter of seconds, dad and the others were carefully placed onto the backs of the other adult Crustle. Meanwhile, Leader Crustle personally hoisted me and Berry onto his own shell with who I presumed were his kids. The three Dwebble clicked bubbly greetings to me. I hugged the still unconscious Berry.

    It all felt like a fever dream to be honest.

    While Crustle started relaying orders to his companions about making a path up, I looked back at Rune. The Larvesta was still on the ground and watching me with an inscrutable expression.

    A lump formed in my throat as I looked down at his tiny figure. We¡¯d part ways here. He¡¯d probably go on living and fighting the rest of his days here in the underground, but I¡ª

    Rune blinked at the hand I extended. The words I blurted out came almost without me thinking, but they felt so natural.

    ¡°Come with me.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a demand but an open-ended phrase. As short as our time together had been, I didn¡¯t want to say goodbye yet to the Pokemon that had shown me light. I wanted to talk to him some more.

    I got my answer when Rune propelled himself with flames from his horns and landed next to me on Crustle¡¯s shell. He made a huffing sound and shook his head. Apparently, he was concerned about how weak humans seemed to be. He figured he¡¯d look after me since he was getting bored underground.

    Uh huh.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever smiled so widely before as I did at that moment.

    Any further conversation had to be put on hold. Crustle warned us to brace ourselves, so I grasped onto the rugged surface of his shell as best I could with one hand while holding Berry with the other. Rune crawled onto my back right as we shot upwards.

    They could have smashed the rocks with their claws, but Crustle and his companions were considerate of our frail human bodies and chose a more delicate method of ascension instead.

    That meant manipulating the very rocks themselves.

    Rock pillars shot upwards from the feet of the crabs and propelled us upwards into the ceiling. Instead of crashing it, parts of the ceiling simply parted in place like sliding doors.

    Layer after layer of rock above us were broken into moving sheets that zoomed left and right, continually creating a path for us to go through. Three Crustle were ahead of us on rock pillars of their own. Using their own tough bodies as shields, they prevented falling debris from getting on the rest of us. Below, the rest of the cast followed in quick pursuit on dozens of smaller, miniature rock pillars.

    Just like that, we broke through floor after floor of the ruins.

    The whole experience felt like I was on a drop tower at an amusement park. The only difference was that we were continuously going up in one smooth motion.

    It wasn¡¯t exactly a straight path we took. Crustle and his crew subtly changed the direction of our rock pillar rides to different angles at various points. It almost felt like they were avoiding something. Other wild Pokemon, if I had to guess.

    I let out a shout of excitement when the rocks way above my head slid left and revealed gaping white. I could feel it. That was the first floor.

    It really was.

    I was greeted with familiar surroundings as Crustle and gang popped out from the long winding path they¡¯d made. Leader Crustle landed with a heavy thud on the sand nearby. More and more rock crabs popped out from the hole and joined us. I was so happy to see we were back at the entrance that I almost missed how our surroundings weren¡¯t quite so familiar after all.

    For one, the rest of my class wasn¡¯t here anymore. Secondly, and most important of all, there were League Trainers and Rangers spread out across the room in defensive formation, each with Pokemon out in front of them.

    I also saw one member of the Unova Elite Four and our dear Champion himself.

    Alder¡¯s eyes darted between me, Leader Crustle, and the cast before resting on my figure once more. I was pretty sure I saw a figurative light bulb go off in his eyes. To say he didn¡¯t look happy was an understatement.

    The grin on my face faded as I slid down from Crustle¡¯s back. I felt very much like a Deerling caught in headlights.

    Moments later, I was whisked away to the League HQ without much fanfare.

    <hr>

    ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    That was the first thing Elite Four Sierra asked me once we¡¯d Teleported into a meeting room. This was after I had a cast placed on my leg by a doctor. Sierra grasped my shoulders with her hands, eyes boring into my own with a sort of frenzied look.

    ¡°DID YOU SEE IT?¡± she repeated, this time in a louder voice.

    I had no idea what exactly she was talking about, but the urgency in her tone scared me into silence. Berry had been taken away from me to get medical treatment.

    Rune was still with me, though, and he hissed viciously at the woman from where he was by my feet. Sierra ignored him and kept talking to me. At least she wasn¡¯t shaking me like a ragdoll.

    ¡°Did you talk to it? Did you touch it¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sierra, that¡¯s enough,¡± Alder interrupted in a firm tone. He walked up to us and put a hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder, frowning. ¡°Give the kid some space.¡±

    Sierra shrugged off his hand with a frown of her own. She kept staring at me, but she at least let go of my shoulders and straightened back up.

    ¡°This kid, Alder, is an Ability Holder,¡± she retorted. I shrunk back in fear. They knew. ¡°He¡¯s dangerous. Did you see all those Pokemon he controlled?¡±

    I bristled with indignation but kept it under control.

    ¡°I¡ª I didn¡¯t control them,¡± I interrupted as politely as possible. It was better to try and keep myself in their good books any way I could. ¡°I just asked them for help. They were nice. My dad, h-he needed medical treatment.¡±

    Both adults ignored me for the time being to keep holding a conversation of their own.

    ¡°I know, but he¡¯s also a kid,¡± Alder countered gruffly. ¡°Look at him. He¡¯s probably no older than six or seven, and he just got out of a dangerous situation.¡±

    ¡°Yes, with a small army of Pokemon¡ª¡±

    They stopped talking as three other figures Teleported into the room. A League Reuniclus was with them. The rest of the Unova Elite Four had joined us. As one, they all turned to me.

    I was no longer left out of the conversation from this point on.

    They sat me down in a chair and interrogated me. Half of the Elite Four at least tried to be neutral about it, but the other two looked at me as if I was already a criminal in the making. Alder was the most polite out of the bunch.

    They asked so, so many questions.

    ¡°Can you describe your Ability?¡±

    ¡°When did your Ability first manifest?¡±

    ¡°How many Pokemon can you control at once?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever used your Ability to harm a person or Pokemon?¡±

    My answer to a lot of these questions was that I didn¡¯t know.

    Their Psychic type was there to verify everything I said was the truth, but some of the Elite Four found issues with this at some point during the interrogation.

    Apparently, their dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that I held a compatibility with the Bug type. They were worried my mind held some sort of hidden interference technique against Psychics.

    I wanted to say that was complete and utter Bouffalant crap, but I kept my mouth shut. I was not in a position to argue here. Thankfully, Alder voiced thoughts similar to my own out loud, and the matter was dropped.

    Before we took a break, Alder picked up where Sierra had previously left off with her questions. He asked me to describe my experience in the Relic Castle¡¯s underground floors and if I¡¯d come across anything unusual.

    I almost didn¡¯t want to, but I told them about the warm presence I¡¯d felt in my mind at one point, the one that had made me throw up.

    Alder and his Elite Four gave each other a certain look I didn¡¯t like.

    They didn¡¯t ask me anything else after that. I was glad because I was tired of repeating and confirming things for them so many times.

    I was forced to sit in a corner of the room while they conversed among themselves inside a psychic sound barrier. Every now and then they glanced over at me with scrutinizing looks. Rune had crawled onto my lap and now stood guard like a sentry. I nervously fisted and unfisted the hem of my pants, trying not to shake.

    I wanted mom and dad here. This was scary.

    My wish was granted when hours later, dad barged into the room with bandages wrapped around his head and a look of fear on his face. Berry was in his arms. Mom followed close behind as well as two League Trainers.

    Once he saw me, dad¡¯s fear melted into relief. He and mom hurried toward me and swept me up in a hug. Then mom turned to the Elite Four members and asked what this was all about.

    Alder cleared his throat.

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, thank you for joining us. We¡¯ve got a lot to talk about. Please have a seat while we wait for a few others to join us.¡±

    And by a few others, he meant executive officials from the civilian side of our government. I felt dread pool in my stomach.

    I don¡¯t remember everything they talked about anymore. I only remembered the important bits.

    I remembered how shocked mom was to hear I was an Ability Holder, and I remembered the look she gave me as Alder described the powers I had displayed today. It was almost soulless.

    I remembered them describing me as a ¡®dangerous individual and a threat to national security.¡¯

    I remembered dad defending me with all the fury of a Force of Nature, saying that I¡¯d only been acting to save him and the others trapped underground with us. I was not dangerous by any means. Hell, I was a child!

    Of course, what I remembered most of all was when the Unova League and government handed out their verdict after a private discussion among themselves.

    Champion Alder looked almost uncomfortable when he addressed my parents. I saw his mouth move and shape words, but I was shell-shocked halfway through that I didn¡¯t process the rest of what he said.

    I wasn¡¯t allowed in Unova anymore.

    There was a lot of flowery language, but in layman¡¯s terms, they were kicking me out of the country.

    Dad slammed his fist on the nearest table, unable to control his anger. Both of mom¡¯s hands flew up to her mouth as she sat there in shock.

    ¡°You¡¯re exiling my son?¡± Dad demanded in utter disbelief.

    Alder closed his eyes briefly before opening them.

    ¡°Not¡­ exiling,¡± he said in a placating manner, ¡°but requesting that you leave in the interest of preserving public peace and security. If you leave on your own, I will guarantee that none of what happened today will be recorded as part of your son¡¯s written criminal history record. It will stay strictly between us as a verbal discussion. Of course, we will have to register your son in Ability Holder registries, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡®Criminal history record?¡¯¡± Dad interrupted, snarling.

    Elite Four Sierra jumped into the conversation.

    ¡°Unlawful use of an Ability in the presence of civilians, controlling what we deem as powerful Pokemon as a non-registered trainer, not registering as an Ability Holder like he should have, unauthorized entry into a highly restricted part of the Relic Castle¡ª¡±

    She would have gone on if Alder hadn¡¯t held up a hand. Dad had been about to jump out of his seat. The Champion asked everyone else to step out of the room so he could talk to us on his own.

    The door swung shut with a thud. Alder sighed once it did.

    ¡°It¡¯s the best I can do for your son, Mr. Sterling,¡± Alder said softly. His voice sounded strangely louder now that the room was near empty. ¡°Either he leaves the country willingly on his own two feet, or we have to escalate this into something larger. If you refuse to leave, we¡¯ll be forced to see him as a true threat.¡±

    My family and I were silent.

    Alder gave another sigh, this time more mournfully than the last.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s not much else I can do. This was the best I could negotiate with our government. With my authority as Champion, I can at least make it so that this incident never happened. Your son won¡¯t have to have a criminal record attached to him for the rest of his life.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯ll still be known as an Ability Holder,¡± Dad said dryly.

    Alder winced. He knew full well how the public perceived Ability Holders during this specific time period, and he didn¡¯t say anything else.

    Dad tried arguing with Alder some more and even tried appealing to his emotions, but the Champion would not ¡ª could not ¡ª budge. He had to look out for the interests of the nation regardless of personal feelings, and to that end, I could not be here.

    The Unova League and government were scared of the potential of my powers and what I could become in the future. They were afraid I¡¯d abuse them and wreak havoc on society. They wanted me out of their borders so that they¡¯d feel safer.

    So many ifs.

    Why couldn¡¯t they look at me simply for who I was now?

    Dad¡¯s shoulders drooped as he realized there was nothing to be done. He gave a small, terse nod, and that was the end of it. Mom was the first out the door with an odd expression on her face, and dad ran after her. I heard them talking in raised voices before the door closed.

    I was about to follow them when Alder stopped me. His eyes drifted to the cast on my leg and then to the Larvesta in my arms. His lips quirked upwards in a sad smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to leave that Larvesta here with the League,¡± he said, and my heart dropped. ¡°The others thought it¡¯d be too dangerous to let you keep it. Larvesta and Volcarona have quite a reputation around these parts. Doesn¡¯t help that you have a Bug specific Ability.¡±

    Rune started hissing.

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Alder butted in, holding up a finger, ¡°as the Champion, I say that you can keep it. The others won''t be happy about it, sure, but I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    I closed my mouth. Rune did the same.

    ¡°I know you probably hate me, kid, and I don¡¯t blame you. I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s have this stay between you and me, but it really does suck having this job sometimes. I have to do things I don¡¯t like,¡± Alder went on.

    He got up from his seat and stared at me. I didn¡¯t glare at him, but my lips were pressed shut in a thin line. Alder raised a hand like he wanted to offer a handshake before he ultimately lowered it.

    ¡°I hope someday you can come back to a better Unova. I really do. I¡¯ll try my best to make it happen.¡±

    Nice parting words from someone who¡¯d basically upended my whole world in the matter of a single decision. I didn¡¯t say anything in response and darted out the door.

    Only dad was there waiting for me, and he¡¯d been crying. I only learned later why.

    I was technically the only one being kicked out of the country, but of course dad wasn¡¯t going to leave me alone. He was coming with me.

    Mom¡­ wasn¡¯t.

    She chose Unova over me. She was afraid of me.

    There were other complications like stress that had built up over the years from constant poverty, but I was basically the straw that broke the Numel¡¯s back for mom and dad¡¯s marriage.

    They divorced.

    Later, Dad and I packed our meager belongings into two small bags, and we left the country.

    <hr>

    PRESENT DAY. UNOVA.

    Dad had originally wanted to move to Galar since our uncle lived there. Estranged as he was, dad was hoping uncle would take pity on us and offer help. That plan fell through immediately because Galar wouldn¡¯t take us in. They were wary of me.

    Unova may not have slapped an official criminal history onto my records, but they¡¯d entered my information in international Ability Holder registries. Every government on our side of the world knew about me now. No country was willing to harbor us for the time being.

    Every region except Alola at least.

    We had to wait a week before their leaders came to a consensus, but eventually we were accepted into the islands. Their warm community welcomed us with nothing but kindness.

    The rest was history.

    I grew up resenting the Unovan government. Later, I became a trainer and traveled the world. Thanks to the Alolan government appealing on my behalf when I was older, other countries in the Galovea Continent were willing to let me into their borders.

    Some good things came out of misery, though. Dad got remarried about a decade after we moved to Alola. He was with a nice lady by the name of Kanani, and they were very much in love. I didn¡¯t see my birth mom as my parent anymore and liked to think of Kanani as my real mom instead. I also had a ten-year-old little brother now. The huge age gap didn¡¯t bother either of us. Kale was the best sibling anyone could ask for even if he had a tendency to chat my ears off.

    I really owed a lot to dad. He had given up his entire life in Unova for me, and he had always, always defended me and been on my side. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive without him or grow up as well as I had.

    I might have become a very different person otherwise.

    So here I was, unable to say no to him, and once again in the country I had been exiled from. It never ceased to amaze me how dad had reached the point where he could essentially forgive the Unovan government. His anger had faded over the years as he understood their position and how afraid they¡¯d been.

    Alder had kept his word about keeping my childhood incident off written records. I was just surprised he¡¯d kept it off Unovan records, too, or maybe it was just confidential information for those higher up the ladder.

    He¡¯d also kept his word about trying to make Unova a better place.

    When that Dragonite first came to me five years ago with a letter in hand, I¡¯d almost thought I was dreaming after I read the contents. It¡¯d taken them fifteen years to get new laws passed¡­ to get the ball rolling and improve the rights and perception of Ability Holders.

    I almost thought the letter was some sick joke. After the way they kicked me out two decades ago, now they wanted me to come back and enjoy being a Unovan citizen once more. At my core, I understood they were probably trying to make up for what they did all those years ago, but there was a part of me that twisted it all as mockery.

    I had mixed feelings about all of this to say the very least, but there was no more time for self-moping.

    My heart trembled as skyscrapers came into sight on the distant horizon. I squared my shoulders.

    Alright. It was time to see what the Castelia of today was like.

 Chapter 3

    CHAPTER 3

    The wind whistled and sang. Every beat of Flygon¡¯s wings was a joyful note in a song that called me home.

    My eyes traced the outlines of shapes looming in the far-off distance. Buildings bled into one another in the form of a concrete jungle, one with seemingly no end. From within the sprawling metropolis¡¯s folds, skyscrapers soared up into the sky as if they hoped to become one with the clouds themselves. I found myself thinking what a shame it was that it was still morning. At night, the city would be enveloped with countless warm and inviting lights like a sea of stars.

    Perhaps I was biased, but out of all the large cities and capitals I¡¯d visited across the years, the Castelia skyline remained the most striking to me.

    The sharp caws of Wingull and Pelipper echoed in my ears as we flew past a colony of passing birds. Down below near the sea¡¯s surface, a separate stretch of blinding white caught my attention. It was a massive cruise ship on its way back to Castelia. Judging by the pristine exterior and fancy crestings, it was quite the luxury liner, too. Passengers strolled around the main deck in the form of blob-like ants from this distance. My eyesight might have been a bit better than a normal human¡¯s, but the distance was too far for me to make out their details. I was, however, able to read the words sewn onto a flag waving in the wind when I concentrated.

    The Royal Unova.

    Huh, so it was fully operational now. They¡¯d still been in the process of building the ship when I was a kid.

    I ripped my gaze away from the luxury liner. At the end of the horizon, skyscrapers were growing ever darker and larger. We were coming up fast on the mainland. A few smaller ships passed underneath us, all on their way to the wharf growing in the distance. It was massive enough that it hugged the entirety of the city¡¯s southern border. I could make out the Five Piers from here. Like the name suggested, they were landing areas spread out in the shape of fingers.

    I remembered when I was a kid, I asked dad why they were placed like that. He¡¯d said something about how the original architect wanted to emulate the idea of a helping hand.

    At any rate, the piers were already busy this early in the morning. Dockworkers and their Pokemon moved in unison as they hauled crates and other cargo, but they weren¡¯t the only ones around. There were plenty of people waiting for ferries or even couples and joggers out on runs.

    My heart beat a little faster in my chest as we zipped past the docks and into the beginnings of the concrete jungle itself. I had Flygon fly lower and slow down a little so I could take in the city from above¡ª

    I almost laughed when I heard obnoxious honking sounds come from a congested intersection further away. A Castelia Transportation Authority (CTA) bus had accidentally blocked the whole road, and now frustrated drivers were laying into him the only way they knew how: by blasting their car horns.

    Oh Castelia, Castelia. Twenty years had gone by, but some things never changed.

    It was a certain time in the city right now, two words that most Castelians hated hearing: rush hour.

    The asphalt streets were full of cars that had ground to a halt, yes, but the sidewalks were equally as crowded. Hordes of businessmen, students, and other commuters hurried down the streets to their destinations in a moving sea of bodies. Most of them were on their way to take local buses or the subway. I knew that underground, there were probably people fighting for space on the trains even as they were packed like sardines.

    Castelia was always moving.

    Some people may have found it chaotic, but it was this constant hustle and bustle ¡ª an entire way of life ¡ª that endeared itself to me and brought back a heavy wave of nostalgia.

    Too late, I found myself grinning as I directed Flygon to where we needed to go. My previous reluctance to go on this trip was rapidly fading. I was suddenly looking forward to this impromptu vacation a lot more than I had originally anticipated.

    It wasn¡¯t so easy forgetting one¡¯s birthplace after all. How was dad always right?

    As much as I wanted to appreciate the city some more, I urged Flygon to once again fly as fast as possible. There was a reason for it: I was still dressed in the bulky, insulated clothes I¡¯d worn for our hike up Glaseado Mountain, and I was starting to suffocate from the heat as a result. I hurriedly unzipped my outermost jacket and slung it over one arm. It was so much warmer here in Unova.

    Buildings blurred past in indistinguishable shapes as Flygon put a step on it, and they only became more densely-packed the further in we flew. There was a mix of sleek, modern high-risers and more historical buildings, but we started seeing more of the former as we neared the heart of the city.

    Castelia¡¯s arguably most famous area, Central Plaza, came into view within seconds.

    Color, color, and so much color¡­ Wherever I turned, vibrant hues infiltrated my vision from digital billboards so gigantic that they covered several floors of buildings. On their screens, images and advertisements constantly played and shed their glow on hundreds of pedestrians walking the streets below. Most of those people were moving along to get to work, but some stopped just briefly to watch buskers perform dances or songs off to the side of the street. A large fountain with a Swanna motif stood smack dab in the center of the plaza.

    This was Castelia¡¯s biggest intersection and where its maze of streets eventually flowed back to.

    It also happened to be a tourist hotspot. Luckily, since I had returned to Unova right before peak tourism season, I¡¯d managed to snag a room at one of the city¡¯s best hotels even on extremely short notice. It wasn¡¯t the one dad used to work at, though. I could have gotten a room somewhere less crowded, but I¡¯d chosen a place in Central since it was close to the city¡¯s ¡ª not to mention the world¡¯s ¡ª largest train station. It was going to make commuting around the city easier later.

    Even in the midst of bodies that covered up nearly every inch of the available sidewalks, Flygon¡¯s sharp eyes managed to pinpoint a half-hidden landing pad. He promptly flew down to it, and I threw myself off his back the instant he hit the ground. I needed a shower and a change of clothes pronto.

    We got some startled looks from cab drivers taking a break nearby. I was more surprised to see that two of them had Braviary resting on top of metal carriages. Well, well¡­ It looked like Unova had finally taken a page out of Galar and Paldea¡¯s books concerning new modes of transportation.

    Flygon went back into his capsule for the time being as I headed for a building down the street. I was holding onto three different things now: a jacket, a vest, and an outer shirt.

    I barely registered the ornate sign ¡ª Deliora Hotel, it read ¡ª decorating the entrance of the lobby I stepped into. Cold air fanned my cheeks and provided temporary relief as I walked up to the counter.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to check in, please. Name is Kayden Sterling,¡± I said quickly, though I didn¡¯t forget to be polite. I handed him my trainer card as a form of ID.

    The guy on duty took it and started typing away at his keyboard, but not before he gave me a quick glance over. His brows scrunched as if he didn¡¯t understand what I was doing wearing such a heavy outfit in the burgeoning summer. I didn¡¯t blame him. I was starting to regret not changing before the flight.

    You and me both, buddy.

    With a professional smile and a nod, the receptionist eventually gave back my ID along with a key card.

    ¡°Thank you for choosing the Deliora Hotel for your stay, Mr. Sterling. You¡¯ve been checked in. Here¡¯s the key card for your room. A staff member will guide you¡­¡±

    I smiled upon hearing the familiar Castelian accent.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The Unovan accent was unique, but like any other country, it varied slightly by region. The Castelia City dialect had a distinct pronunciation of its own. People who weren¡¯t used to Unovan accents in general tended to think the speakers were being aggressive with them, but that usually wasn¡¯t the intention. It was just the way Castelians dropped their pitches at the ends of words, or the not-so-subtle way they added or removed the r¡¯s in situations¡­ There were a lot of other fine details, but it had a lot to do with using the lower part of your mouth when speaking. I heard the Castelian accent every time I talked to dad, but there was just something different about hearing it here from a stranger.

    It really drove home the fact that I had returned to my birthplace.

    I uttered my thanks with a smile of my own and followed a worker on standby to the elevator. We had it all to ourselves as we stepped inside. As we rode up, I took the chance to wipe some sweat from my brow.

    I¡¯d booked a suite on one of the hotel¡¯s uppermost floors, so it was a very long ascent.

    The air conditioning kept me happy throughout, though, and soon I was following the staff member out the elevator and into the hall. He guided me to one of only three doors. I left him a tip before entering my room.

    It was beautifully modern and full of expensive, refined furniture, but I didn¡¯t care much about how it looked. The most important thing was how spacious the suite was. My biggest criteria when booking a hotel had been size and if it was Pokemon-friendly.

    I released all of my Pokemon from their Pokeballs as fast as possible. Red light engulfed the suite as one Bug after another gradually took over the various rooms and living spaces. I would have joined them in exploring, but I had other plans. I dumped my backpack and made a beeline for the shower.

    Cold, refreshing water sprayed against my skin once I¡¯d peeled off layers of sweaty clothing. I felt alive again.

    Now this was the life.

    One extra-long and indulgent shower later, I was out of the bathroom with wet hair and pajamas. My intent was to sleep a little bit before I got started on this vacation in earnest. I faceplanted on the king-sized bed.

    Well, I tried to at least.

    Disapproving buzzes and clicks from more than a few of my Pokemon stopped me midway. Rune was the most vocal of the bunch. Sleeping with wet hair could lead to health issues apparently.

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Let me get the hair dryer then¡ª oh. Never mind.¡±

    Vespiquen sat me down on the bed while Centiskorch scuttled over with a determined expression. It looked like I wasn¡¯t getting the option of a hair appliance.

    ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t burn the bed. Or my hair. Or¡­ anything.¡±

    Together, the two of them fanned warm air across my head. It was so pleasant that I felt my eyelids drooping. I was pretty sure someone even combed my hair at one point with their claw, but I couldn¡¯t remember.

    I woke up two hours later with no recollection of me ever falling asleep.

    Rune buzzed a greeting from the other side of the room. He¡¯d made himself comfortable on one of the couches since he was far too big for any of the armchairs. The others were scattered around the suite doing various things. One group in particular ¡ª Ribombee, Golisopod, Galvantula, and Frosmoth ¡ª were huddled around my phone playing chess in a tag team format. I was just glad to see they¡¯d made sure to charge it as they played. I didn¡¯t want to walk around without any battery later.

    ¡°Alright, gang,¡± I drawled out, trying not to yawn.

    The covers were pulled back as I got out of bed and made my way to the main living area. I snagged a city brochure the hotel kindly supplied from a wall rack as I went.

    Everyone abandoned whatever they were doing to stare expectantly at me. I slapped the brochure down on a table after finding what I wanted: a map of Castelia. The corners of my lips curled up into the beginnings of an excited smile. No matter the circumstances that had driven me away from Unova in the first place, it wasn¡¯t going to stop me from enjoying my unexpected time here.

    Though¡­ I made sure to remind myself in the back of my mind that this would be a short vacation. How short, I had no idea yet, but that¡¯s all this was gonna be.

    A little break. That was all.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be sticking around for¡­ a bit. What do we want to do first?¡± I asked.

    My Pokemon had only ever heard stories about Castelia from me, so it was no surprise when they clamored that they wanted to do everything.

    That¡­ was a tall order considering we were in the largest city in the world populated by millions of people and things to do, but it would be arranged to the best of my ability.

    After a quick breakfast, I started rummaging for clothes in my foldable-space backpack while my Pokemon played rock-paper-scissors. Out came a pair of jeans, dark T-shirt, and comfortable pair of white sneakers, but I was torn between wearing a letterman jacket or a green zip-up hoodie.

    I ended up choosing the latter and left it unzipped. I was right on time for the conclusion of the tournament that had been going on in the background, too. Kricketune and Ribombee won.

    They were all going to take turns eventually, but my Pokemon had been fighting over who would be the first to accompany me around the city.

    In large and densely-populated cities like Castelia, obviously there was a limited amount of walking space. Trainers and civilians alike were usually only allowed to have a few Pokemon out with them at a time. This sucked more for trainers with full teams or large Pokemon because they couldn¡¯t experience everything together at once.

    My Pokemon and I had a workaround for that, one that we¡¯d developed over the years at the cost of countless vomit sessions by yours truly. I¡¯d taken my childhood incident with the wild Crustle and Dwebble and used that as inspiration for how to hone my Ability further. I was now capable of hosting a sort of ¡®link¡¯ with Pokemon I had a strong connection with. Anyone connected to that link could share their memories or what they were currently seeing. It was also useful for communicating telepathically among other things.

    I called it the Sterling Network much to the chagrin of my Pokemon. Not very creative, but I never had a good naming sense to begin with. Considering I was twenty-six now, that wasn¡¯t going to change anytime soon.

    Anyway, there was no specific plan of action today. We¡¯d decided to explore randomly. Easy enough. We had all the time in the world to check out a city as big as Castelia.

    A part of me wanted to throw open the balcony doors and head out on Flygon, but I settled for doing things the mundane way and went out to the elevator instead. Kricketune gave me a look when the elevator doors slid shut and we started going down. He raised an arm questioningly.

    I snorted with laughter. ¡°Go ahead, Tune. No one else is here.¡±

    The last syllable hardly left my mouth before Kricketune rubbed his blade-like arms together with glee. An upbeat fiddle tune instantly filled the elevator. Ribombee hummed along, bobbing her head this way and that to the beat.

    Kricketune loved playing music. The location and time didn¡¯t matter to him and never would.

    I had to keep a straight face when the elevator slid to a halt on the eleventh floor. Kricketune instantly stopped playing before the doors opened and lowered his arms. He now stood still with an innocent expression like nothing was wrong, but¡­

    The person waiting for the elevator ¡ª a young lady with freckles and red hair ¡ª stared at us with an absolutely baffled expression.

    ¡°Did¡­ Did you just hear music?¡± she asked. ¡°Because I swore I just¡ª you know what? Never mind.¡±

    With a shake of her head, the woman stepped inside the elevator before the doors could close. I eyed my two Pokemon from the corner of my eye as our little prison began its descent once more.

    Kricketune winked at me while Ribombee¡¯s frame shook with silent giggles.

    The moment we got out of the elevator and walked through the lobby, I nudged Kricketune with a hand.

    ¡°You wanna try busking later, bud? A lot of musicians play on the streets here in Castelia,¡± I suggested.

    He made a series of thrilled buzzes in response. Very long-winded, but he was excited at the prospect of performing for an audience. My Pokemon chatted as we stepped out of the lobby doors into fresh air once more.

    Now dressed in an outfit appropriate for the weather, I felt more at ease. I tilted my head back briefly to take in the billboards of Central. Most of them were displaying upcoming musicals, movies, or products set to hit the market soon. Then my attention went to the couple that passed directly by me.

    They wore white T-shirts with a famous logo attached to them: I (HEART) CASTELIA. I chuckled to myself.

    Dead giveaway for tourists, alright. I¡¯d always thought those T-shirts were cringy even when I was a kid.

    I took a step forward only to pause in place. With some degree of hesitation, my hand crept up to the hood I¡¯d kept over my head since walking out of the hotel. Maybe it was childhood habits and memories influencing me, but I felt the urge to make myself scarce as I walked through the streets of Castelia.

    I had to remind myself that this wasn¡¯t the Unova of twenty years ago.

    With a quiet exhale, I pulled back my hoodie. My scalp prickled almost uncomfortably with nothing to cover it. I almost thought someone out there was going to point and yell at me, but nothing happened. People strolled by without a care in the world.

    Duh. What had I been expecting?

    I felt myself relaxing. Hell, I even felt emboldened. On the off chance that someone recognized me on the streets, I decided I wasn¡¯t going to give two shits about it.

    I had every right to be here.

    I shoved my hands into my pockets, smiling.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I heard myself utter, and I stepped out of the hotel¡¯s shade into the light.

 Chapter 4

    CHAPTER 4

    We merged seamlessly with a passing wave of pedestrians. The rhythmic thumping of shoes against concrete, bits and pieces of conversations held between friends, and minute rustling of fabric as limbs swung through the air¡­ all of it was familiar, comforting music in my ears and an entire atmosphere of its own.

    And the people, oh the people.

    Castelia was the largest city in the world and an absolute melting pot. Cultures, ethnicities, styles¡ª all of them came together in a harmonious union. Only here could you find such wide diversity, and I saw it for myself everywhere I turned. Central was flooded with locals and visitors from every part of the world and walk of life, and this was only one part of the city.

    The smile on my face only grew larger.

    Our first stop was the huge fountain in the middle of Central. My Pokemon and I maneuvered around a massive tour group and wandered around the fountain¡¯s perimeter until we found an empty gap. Before any tourists could claim the picture-taking spot for their own, we swooped in and posed. I snapped a selfie of our group, and Ribombee followed up with a nice shot from afar that had Central¡¯s famous billboards in the background.

    There were plenty of famous places around the plaza including the Theater District nearby, but we¡¯d go see a musical another day. For now, we headed to the train station.

    Along the way, I admired how much less trash there seemed to be. Even the air seemed better than I remembered it. There were still cigarette butts and other small pieces of trash littered around, but it was minimal. It had been a different story twenty years ago with filth-ridden streets being one of the city¡¯s biggest problems. I used to see Rattata scurrying around every corner I turned.

    Another change on a whole list of changes that¡¯d probably surprise me going forward, but I found myself eagerly awaiting what else I did not yet know.

    A wide arch appeared in the distance. We followed the steady crowd of people through the doors below it, and we took our first steps into Castelia¡¯s largest train station.

    Grand Sky Terminal.

    It was like stepping into an entirely different world from the urban landscape outside. The architecture had been inspired by a Kalosian style prominent in a previous century, and it showed in the elaborate detailing on marble staircases or the beautifully wide, arched windows high above our heads. The ceiling looming above all of that was one of the terminal¡¯s most famous features. A mural spanned its entire width in the form of a dazzling blue sky. Across it, incredible renderings of people and Pokemon rested on wispy clouds. The artist had supposedly depicted the workers who had helped construct the terminal.

    The place was also crawling with commuters.

    Grand Sky Terminal wasn¡¯t connected to all of the subway lines in Castelia like Gear Station in Nimbasa was, but its convenient location near the heart of the city meant that it was easy for a lot of people to access. Plus, a lot of subway lines still flowed through here.

    Kricketune couldn¡¯t stop singing praises about how marvelous the mural was as we descended the steps into the Main Concourse. We snapped a few pictures further in the hall before blending in with the crowd again.

    There were two reasons why I¡¯d slept a little at the hotel before officially starting the day. One was simply because I¡¯d felt tired, but the other was to let the morning rush hour pass.

    Nobody liked the feeling of being crammed into a subway car like a bunch of Remoraid. No one.

    There were plenty of signs and digital departure boards that outlined where to go, so I led my Pokemon in the direction of a subway line that ran downtown. Through winding halls we went ¡ª which was punctuated with a few stops to listen to musicians ¡ª until we eventually reached an area with turnstiles and boarding pass vending machines. To use the subway in Castelia, one had to load train fares onto a card called a Metro Pass.

    I didn¡¯t have to buy the physical copy of a Metro Pass considering I could load money onto my phone through an app, but I bought one anyway as a little memento of our trip. Sometimes the Castelia Transportation Authority ran advertisement campaigns and partnered with brands to produce limited-edition cards with special designs. When I was a kid, I¡¯d even had a passing dream to collect different cards someday if our financial situation ever changed.

    Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t running any campaigns now. I got a standard light blue card with the CTA logo instead.

    Boring.

    My Pokemon had taken the subway before in other places like Lumiose City in Kalos, but they still found novelty in swiping the card at the turnstile for me. Ribombee looked especially proud that she¡¯d gotten it in one try without an annoying ¡®error message¡¯ popping up.

    I patted her head before we set off. The train wasn¡¯t due to come for a bit according to a digital liveboard on the wall, so we waited patiently. Ribombee and Kricketune were already well-aware of subway safety guidelines and stood far behind the yellow line on the floor. They hung out by the wall with me.

    Minutes later, warm winds blew into existence as a train came roaring into the station. I was still busy trying to clean up my messy, ruffled hair when it lurched to a halt and the doors opened. Ribombee and Kricketune skipped inside first with me close behind. A few other passengers plodded in after us.

    I was so very glad to see that the train had plenty of free seats. My Pokemon sat on either side of me in the middle of an empty row right as a distinct voice played over the intercom.

    ¡°Next stop: Gloria Street. Stand clear of the closing doors, please.¡±

    Without further ado, the doors slid shut. My Pokemon bounced up and down a little in excitement when the train started moving again. The station scenery outside the tinted windows blurred past until we were sucked into the dark recesses of an underground tunnel.

    I wasn¡¯t as excited as my Pokemon, but I had to admit it was nostalgic taking the Castelia subway again. I liked how much cleaner these newer subway cars were. As a bonus, the seats weren¡¯t nearly as uncomfortable as I remembered them being.

    I kept an eye on the digital screen blinking overhead. It had texts and lights indicating different stops on the line we were taking. When our stop came, I ushered my Pokemon out and into a humid subway station. Urgh. The faster we got out of here, the better.

    My wish was granted soon enough. We took the steps two at a time into bright sunlight and fresh air. We were in the Midtown area that bordered Lower Castelia. It wasn¡¯t as busy here compared to Central, but there was still plenty of sound and people walking around.

    This was Castelia¡¯s largest arts district, Adonna, otherwise known as the Artist Sanctuary.

    People from all over the world flocked to the city to share and celebrate different styles of art. That overwhelming passion was reflected in numerous art galleries and museums scattered across Castelia.

    Here in Adonna, those creative sparks shined the brightest.

    Almost every other building in our general vicinity was an art studio, coffee shop, or gallery. Some people had set up interactive exhibits outside for people to peruse, and one individual was even doing street art. A crowd had gathered underneath the artist¡¯s stepladder as they worked laboriously on a stunning wall mural depicting two trainers locked in a battle.

    The Pokemon at my sides practically squealed with delight, making me laugh.

    I¡¯d brought Kricketune and Ribombee here because I knew they¡¯d probably enjoy this place the most out of all my Pokemon. For the next two hours, we trekked up and down the district checking out the local art scene. I had some experience with art ¡ª it was one of dozens of hobbies I¡¯d randomly dabbled in over the years ¡ª so I wasn¡¯t completely clueless when trying to interpret various artworks and sculptures.

    Aside from galleries, they even had stores here that featured pottery, jewelry, and other accessories lovingly crafted by hand. All of it was expensive, but who could truly put a price on art? I made a note to come back near the end of our trip and pick up some unique souvenirs for my family back in Alola.

    Once Kricketune and Ribombee had their fill, they swapped places with Scizor and Frosmoth. I checked out a few more galleries with them on our way to Adonna Market, a massive indoor food hall and marketplace.

    I¡¯d been there once as a kid on a field trip, but it felt even bigger now that I was an adult. Delicious smells wafted through the air. There were so many of them that I couldn¡¯t hope to identify what was what.

    All I knew was that they were making me hungry. We were right on time for lunch.

    Frosmoth latched onto my back while Scizor and I gently pushed through throngs of people. She was heavy, but I bore with it. Lines were starting to form at every store, so we needed to make up our minds fast if we didn¡¯t want to be on the tail end of a disastrously long queue.

    ¡°What are we in the mood for? Soup? Kalosian-style savory breads?¡± I asked, and then my eyes caught sight of a particularly long line. People were waiting for sushi and dumplings made from ingredients imported from Kanto-Johto. I gulped a bit.

    That was definitely a newer store. The Kinjoh Area, a region that consisted of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, hadn¡¯t opened to the general public over here¡­ at least until some years ago when a crisis over there passed. Then the Leagues and governments on this side engaged in serious diplomatic talks with them, which ultimately led to international efforts to establish safe air and sea routes between our continents. It took a long time, but the Kinjoh Area and our very own Galovea Continent finally succeeded. They managed to facilitate the interactions of differing cultures, Pokemon, and peoples.

    Today?

    Now we were in a golden era of international trade and cooperation. Every day, there were foreign tourists and trainers pouring in to challenge the League Circuits over here and vice versa.

    I shared a look with my Pokemon. The decision was unanimous.

    ¡°Sushi and dumplings, go!¡±

    Scizor planted himself firmly at the back of the line. I handed him one of my credit cards, and he held it gingerly with one pincer.

    And by gingerly, I meant applying the teeniest, tiniest pressure possible. We¡¯d had incidents in the past where Scizor had broken precious appliances or even my phone. Luckily, he¡¯d been a big boy for years now. I didn¡¯t have to worry about incidents like that too much anymore.

    ¡°Get whatever you want off the menu for the team, okay?¡± I called out over my shoulder.

    Scizor used his other pincer to offer a playful salute. The moment I got confirmation, I turned around and queued up in a line on the other side. Kanto-Johto cuisine was amazing, but I also wanted my Pokemon to try some local specialties.

    Once it was finally my turn at the counter, I didn¡¯t bother looking at the menu. I hadn¡¯t wasted my time in the line just idling around.

    ¡°Six servings of clam chowder, ten bagels with veggie cream cheese spreads, two whole cheesecakes¡­¡± I rattled off. They were all Castelia-style, of course.

    The tuckered-out cashier handed me two order slips a minute later. One of them was for a fresh drink, so I wandered off to the waiting area. Scizor had somehow finished ahead of me and saved a seat. Before I sat down, Frosmoth finally unlatched herself from my back and landed on the table between us. She chatted with Scizor while I scrolled through Zoogle Maps on my phone. Hmm, after we got our food, we needed somewhere big enough for the team to eat¡­ maybe somewhere on the High Garden¡ª

    ¡°Still can¡¯t believe Burgh retired,¡± I heard a gruff voice say.

    ¡°He should have hung on until after the Circuit ended at least,¡± another voice said, and his words were accompanied by a tsk sound.

    The voices came from two men sitting at a table close by. I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but they were speaking so loudly that I could hear them over the din of the marketplace. It didn¡¯t help that my hearing was sensitive to begin with.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I raised a brow as I closed Zoogle Maps for the time being and checked my email instead. I could only assume the ¡®Burgh¡¯ person they were referring to was the Castelia Gym Leader¡ª er¡­ former Gym Leader now it seemed. I hadn¡¯t kept up too much with Unova news over the years (more like I pointedly avoided learning too much), but I did know that Burgh was the guy who had succeeded Marcus, the reigning Gym Leader from my childhood, after the old man passed away.

    The men kept talking. I listened with partial interest.

    ¡°You know Maxwell from Sales Team Two? He said he saw Burgh moping around the docks the other day. He looked real bad, Jake. Real bad.¡±

    ¡°No kidding? You¡¯d think he¡¯d get a grip by now. Sure, his Leavanny died, but it¡¯s been a month already¡­ He¡¯s got to move on.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ Maybe he¡¯d be happier if he raised another one? It¡¯s not like Leavanny are rare. We¡¯ve got Bugs all over Unova. Burgh could get another Sewaddle if he wanted.¡±

    They went on, but I wasn¡¯t listening anymore.

    Was I really hearing this kind of shit right now?

    I held my phone with a grip so intense that my knuckles started to turn white. My eyes clouded with anger and disbelief. I didn¡¯t know the full story behind what those men were saying, but I thought I understood the main point: Burgh had retired after losing one of his Pokemon, not a gym but a personal one by the sound of it, and he was still deeply depressed.

    Regardless of where their ignorance stemmed from¡­ whether it was their identities as civilians and not trainers, or whatever damned other reason¡­ those guys really pissed me off.

    They didn¡¯t understand what it felt like to lose a Pokemon.

    They didn¡¯t understand what it felt like to lose a friend, a family member, a precious companion who had always been by your side and created countless memories with.

    And for a Bug Specialist, that kind of grief hit the hardest.

    Most Bugs had shorter lifespans compared to other species like Rock or Dragon. Fortunately, Bugs could live as long as other Pokemon if they acquired enough strength and nourishment from the world to sustain themselves. If you looked at any powerful, old Pokemon in the world, it had probably managed to live that long because it had accrued vast amounts of experience and influence for itself. It almost sounded counterintuitive, but fighting kept Pokemon in good health and strengthened their bodies.

    Still, that didn¡¯t erase the fact that an average Bug¡¯s lifespan tended to be on the lower end. Depending on when you met and caught them ¡ª how old they were ¡ª and then the speed at which they evolved and grew stronger, chances were still high that your Pokemon would likely die before you.

    It was heartbreaking, but it was a very real reality that Bug Specialists had to be aware of. It was also why people didn¡¯t typically see a lot of high-level Bug Specialists out there. The occupation sometimes came with crippling grief, and for others, they couldn¡¯t help their Pokemon grow strong enough¡­ or fast enough.

    Grief wasn¡¯t something so easily washed away, either. Just like how you couldn¡¯t put an exact price on art, how could one ever hope to label the depths of one¡¯s despair? Everyone mourned differently, and everyone processed it differently.

    If those men understood any of this, they wouldn¡¯t be spouting those kinds of thoughtless words.

    Insensitive pricks.

    I hadn¡¯t realized it yet, but one of my hands had subconsciously reached for the sun tattoo inked into the left side of my neck. My index finger traced it twice, yet it didn¡¯t calm me down fast enough.

    I shifted in my seat to rip those guys a new one¡ª

    ¡°You outta be ashamed of yourselves, fellas. After everything Burgh¡¯s done for the city, you¡¯re talking crap about him behind his back?¡±

    Ice cold words were spat out by a young woman wearing an apron. The waitress had beaten me to it, and she now slammed two milkshakes on the table the jerks were sitting at. They wilted under her glare.

    ¡°Let the man grieve for Arceus¡¯s sake. He¡¯s hurting. Legends forbid, but I¡¯d like to see how you two would react if your mother or best friend suddenly passed away, yeah?¡± the woman continued.

    She didn¡¯t wait for them to finish. She snatched their order slip away from them and marched off. The small commotion had caught the attention of people sitting nearby, and the two men quickly ducked their heads out of embarrassment.

    I mentally whistled out loud. That waitress deserved all the praise in the world.

    Minutes later, that same waitress came back with a fresh tray of drinks. I raised a hand when she called out my order number.

    ¡°Order Number 103, thank you for waiting! Here¡¯s your Frosted Milkshake!¡± she said in a bright voice and a smile to match. It was a far cry from the intimidating woman from earlier. ¡°Your food order can be picked up at the counter now, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The waitress held a hand out patiently for my order slip, but I had to write something on it real quick and sign my name. Once it was in her grasp, my Pokemon and I got up to collect our food. Scizor and Frosmoth shot the assholes from earlier dirty looks on our way over. We were already at the counter when someone called out to me.

    ¡°H-Hey, wait! Sir! I think you added too many zeros here for the tip!¡± our previous waitress hollered.

    I glanced over my shoulder. The lady wore a flustered expression as she held up the order slip I¡¯d handed her. I¡¯d included an unusually large tip in appreciation for the empathy she¡¯d shown today.

    I smiled in response, already turning away.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a mistake. Have a nice day.¡±

    With those as my parting words, we made our way out of the marketplace. Our arms were laden with bags. In fact, I even had to send out Golisopod to help carry stuff. I felt my anger from earlier subsiding as we walked through the streets. There was no point dwelling on something that wasn¡¯t any of my business.

    This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation.

    Soon, our group left behind the arts district for another iconic part of Castelia: the High Garden.

    In the distant past, it was used as a railroad and means of transportation. Architects later converted it into a massive elevated greenway that spanned a decent chunk of the city. It¡¯d even been featured in magazines before for being one of the world¡¯s most innovative public parks.

    From up here, we had a nice view of the urban sprawl. Tiny cars zipped past underneath us as we trekked through breathtaking gardens and snapped pictures. There were plenty of people enjoying the warm weather besides us. Laughing children ran ahead of their parents on strolls, young adults and businessmen rested on benches¡­ It was a peaceful reprieve from the busy city life.

    Aside from beautiful flora and infographic signs, they also had art installations up here, some of which were rotated out on a seasonal basis.

    There was one I¡¯d never seen before in a plaza, a twenty-foot-tall statue in the shape of a Pidove. It was so hyper-realistic that we all stopped for a minute to stare at it in wonder.

    Golisopod even blanched and demanded to know if it was a new species of Pidove they¡¯d discovered. He wanted to fight the statue. I¡¯d never laughed so hard in my life before. My Pokemon ended up adopting certain poses underneath the statue and mimed running away from the colossal Pidove. It was a little embarrassing as the picture-taker, but they were having fun messing around.

    We must have traveled for another fifteen or twenty minutes on the High Garden before we found a suitable spot for lunch. There was a plain lawn area for people to rest on, and we snagged an empty corner half-obscured by small trees.

    Golisopod pulled picnic blankets out of my bag while I released everyone else from their capsules. With everyone¡¯s help, we laid out our spoils of war from Adonna Market.

    I went ahead and hosted the Sterling Network while everyone else dug into the food. My eyes narrowed slightly in concentration as I focused, pulling at the central part of my mind and imagining threads spiraling out from it like veins in a human body.

    One after another, my Pokemon connected their consciousnesses to the link I¡¯d set up. A faint buzzing sound filled my head, but it was more like a pleasant hum in the background than anything annoying.

    I knew my Pokemon were sharing their memories and senses with each other when my mindscape rippled slightly. Appreciative oohs and aahs filled the air as my Pokemon commented on what the others had experienced in person. They also had nice things to say about the Castelia-style foods. Apparently it suited their tastes.

    I knew that because everything disappeared into our stomachs faster than one could say ¡®Ditto.¡¯ We lounged around like lazy bums on the grass afterward.

    ¡°Daddy, look! It¡¯s Vesta! The Champion must be here!¡± I heard a child say at some point.

    I didn¡¯t have to turn to look. A young boy passed by holding hands with his dad, and he pointed directly at Rune. His dad was about to nod his head in agreement, but he stopped midway when he looked around and didn¡¯t see the Champion of Unova anywhere. His eyes eventually found mine.

    I tensed. I thought he recognized who I was, but I didn¡¯t have to worry. No look of recognition dawned on his face.

    It turned out the guy was a civilian not too familiar with the trainer scene¡­ or at least not the niche part of it I belonged to. Most civilians only cared about yearly League Circuits and the trainers associated with those. They were the biggest tournaments after all.

    ¡°Er, that¡¯s not Alder¡¯s starter, son¡­¡± I heard the dad say apologetically to his child as they walked away. The man tossed more than a few furtive glances behind his shoulder as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he¡¯d just seen. I couldn¡¯t blame him. There weren¡¯t a lot of people out there with a Volcarona. The species was practically synonymous with Alder in this day and age.

    Rune had heard everything, too, and he huffed.

    In a dry voice, he told me how glad he was that I hadn¡¯t persisted on calling him Vesta back when we first met. A dreadful name or so he said.

    I waved a hand in mock anger at him.

    ¡°Shut it,¡± I drawled, a hint of defensiveness leaking out. ¡°You and the team know I suck at names.¡±

    Rune huffed again, but this time it was out of laughter.

    The rest of the day was chill. We looped twice through the High Garden before taking one of its exits out into Lower Castelia. There were numerous ethnic enclaves around here reflected by the names of the neighborhoods we visited. For instance, Kalostown had a lot of locals with Kalosian ancestry. There were also newer additions like Indigo Heights that indicated an influx of people emigrating from the Kinjoh Area.

    I had fun looking around small stores and hidden gems, all the while snacking on small foods and drinks. My Pokemon kept rotating so everyone could enjoy time in the city. We only gathered as a big group again for dinner. I paid for a private room in the back of a busy Hoennian restaurant and feasted until my stomach threatened to burst like a balloon.

    The plan was to walk it off.

    Under a darkening sky, my feet carried me through a winding labyrinth of streets. I reached the wharf thirty minutes later.

    I wasn¡¯t surprised to see that it was busy. The Five Piers were prime picture-taking locations for tourists and locals like, and there were plenty of couples and families strolling around. Dozens of Wingull and Pelipper perched on railings overlooking the sea. Their soft caws filled the air at irregular intervals.

    I walked leisurely toward Liberty Pier, head swiveling left and right as I did. A huge artificial island and walkway out in the distance caught my eye. I didn¡¯t remember those being there in the past. One quick Zoogle search later, and I learned that it was a newish public park called the Little Green.

    That sounded interesting, but at this point I just wanted to sit down for a bit.

    My hands were shoved into my hoodie pockets as I lumbered down Liberty Pier. Kricketune was back out of his Pokeball again, this time with Armaldo and Heracross for company. We searched for somewhere I could sit. Luckily, there were tons of benches lining the side of the road. Unluckily, they were all already occupied.

    Kricketune quickly corrected that thought of mine by buzzing excitedly. He jabbed at the air with an arm, pointing to a partially occupied bench about three quarters of the way down the pier. At the risk of upsetting my full stomach, I quickened my pace. Half of that bench was mine.

    I sank down onto the seat with a relieved sigh moments later. No one had beaten me to it. Armaldo and Heracross left me to rest in comfort and decided to check out a nearby food truck. Meanwhile, Kricketune tugged at my sleeve and asked if it was okay to busk here.

    My response was handing him a cap I never wore anymore from the confines of my backpack. He took it and darted down the pier with glee.

    Soon enough, sweet notes filled the air and tugged at my heartstrings. Kricketune had decided on a romantic ballad for his first song, and it was already attracting couples. A few wandered over to listen, and one woman even put money into the cap on the floor by Kricketune¡¯s feet. We didn¡¯t exactly need the cash, but it was part of the busking experience.

    Out on the horizon, golden rays from a setting sun illuminated the whole wharf in a beautiful, intimate glow. The way they reflected off the sea¡¯s surface reminded me of precious jewels. I felt at peace here listening to waves roll by amidst calming music. My eyes closed without me knowing it.

    I might have even drifted off to sleep if not for a sudden voice.

    ¡°Your Kricketune¡¯s playing is quite exquisite.¡±

    The compliment had me cracking my eyes back open. The voice had come from the person who¡¯d been occupying the other half of the bench long before I ever sat down. I hadn¡¯t paid too much attention before, but I did now. I turned to face the stranger.

    A man with wavy brown hair looked back at me. At his feet were an empty canvas and a bag stuffed with expensive paints and brushes. As for the man himself, he looked like he¡¯d just crawled out of bed from the way a wrinkled green shirt and pants full of lint had been carelessly thrown on, but it was his overall posture and facial features I paid more attention to. His shoulders were hunched over in defeat. The clothes he wore sagged a bit as if they were no longer a perfect fit. Huge eyebags were present underneath his eyes indicating a lack of sleep. And his eyes¡­ To put it simply, they looked almost lifeless. It made me wonder what had happened to this guy, but it wasn¡¯t my place to ask.

    Anywho, it wasn¡¯t too odd for strangers in Castelia to randomly strike up a conversation. I took it in stride and nodded.

    ¡°Thanks. He¡¯s always trying to learn new songs,¡± I replied.

    The man simply nodded in acknowledgement and turned back to face the horizon. I thought that was the end of our unexpected chat and quietly did the same. One minute later, I was proven wrong.

    ¡°Are you a Bug Specialist?¡± the man asked.

    He hadn¡¯t turned his head, so I didn¡¯t either. We both kept admiring the horizon.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s wonderful. It¡¯s always nice to meet a kindred spirit.¡±

    One of my brows rose in interest. Huh, what a nice coincidence. It wasn¡¯t often I met a fellow Bug Specialist either.

    ¡°So you¡¯re a Bug Specialist as well?¡± I asked just to be sure.

    For some reason, the man found that funny and laughed a little. It sounded hollow to me.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Neat. Name¡¯s Kayden.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Kayden. I¡¯m Burgh Arty.¡±

    Ah.

    My eyes didn¡¯t widen or anything, but a flash of recognition did instantly go off in my head. I turned my head to look once more at the man sitting next to me, this time with a more scrutinizing gaze. I¡¯d never seen a picture of him before, but I didn¡¯t need one. I had all the puzzle pieces I needed. I¡¯d even heard his name crop up in conversation earlier today.

    I was speaking to the former Gym Leader of Castelia City.

 Chapter 5

    CHAPTER 5

    Burgh¡¯s haggard appearance made a lot more sense now that I knew who I was talking to.

    This was a man still grieving.

    I stuck a hand out in a friendly gesture, but Burgh stared at it for a long time with a sort of dazed look. When he finally grasped my hand with his own, I couldn¡¯t help noticing how weak his grip was.

    His thin and almost emaciated hand fell back to his side with nary a sound.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me for laughing earlier,¡± he said. His voice was so hoarse that I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if Burgh hadn¡¯t talked to anyone in a long time. ¡°It¡¯s not often I run into someone who doesn¡¯t know who I am¡­ the now retired Castelia Gym Leader, that is. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not from Unova, are you?¡±

    ¡°I am, actually. But I, uh, moved away when I was a kid. This is my first time back in twenty years,¡± I politely corrected him. I also conveniently left out a lot of the details concerning my backstory.

    Burgh blinked slowly.

    ¡°Oh¡­ a local returned home, then. Welcome back,¡± he said, and he offered a small smile. It didn¡¯t quite meet his eyes.

    I still appreciated it anyway and replied with a quiet thank you.

    We lapsed into momentary silence after introductions.

    During that time, people drifted past. Most of them were locals who immediately recognized Burgh. While no one was rude enough to take out their cameras and snap pictures or videos, there was still a lot of whispering. They gave Burgh looks of pity.

    He wasn¡¯t fazed by any of it. His gaze was lost somewhere out there on the horizon instead. Burgh sat so perfectly still on that bench that one could have mistaken him for a statue rather than a human. The atmosphere he exuded was mournful, so mournful in fact that I could almost physically feel the sadness emanating from him.

    I sympathized with him. I really did.

    I wasn¡¯t going to say anything of the sort to him, though. For one thing, I didn¡¯t want to make fresh wounds hurt more. For another, comforting words were sometimes the last thing a grieving person wanted to hear.

    Since he hadn¡¯t said anything yet, I decided to be the one to pick up the conversation this time. My eyes landed on the painting materials by Burgh¡¯s feet while I was wondering what to talk about.

    ¡°Are you going to paint something?¡± I asked. That seemed harmless enough. Burgh followed my line of sight.

    ¡°No,¡± he admitted after a moment¡¯s pause. ¡°I wanted to at first, but every time I try holding a brush, my mind goes blank. I can¡¯t feel any inspiration like I used to.¡±

    I cursed internally. Wrong topic to choose. I needed something else. Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t good at small talk.

    ¡°The view here is nice.¡±

    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± The corners of Burgh¡¯s lips twitched upwards before falling. ¡°I used to come here with Vania after long hours at the gym. She loved watching the sunset.¡±

    Vania? Was that¡ª

    ¡°My first Pokemon, Leavanny,¡± Burgh helpfully supplied. My confusion must have shown on my face. ¡°Perhaps you heard the news in town already. She¡­ She passed away last month.¡±

    Oh. It wasn¡¯t just any Pokemon of his that had died, but his starter. I briefly closed my eyes in silent frustration aimed at myself. Another swing and a miss. Legendaries.

    Burgh held up a hand as I opened my mouth to apologize.

    ¡°You look distressed. It¡¯s quite alright,¡± he said kindly. ¡°I appreciate that you tried to talk about ordinary things with me. Most people would have chosen to pry into¡­ other matters instead.¡±

    He could have lashed out. He could have yelled at me for reminding him about the precious companion he had recently lost. Both were valid reactions when someone was grieving. Yet in spite of how much hurt he was probably feeling inside, he still found it in him to be gentle.

    Burgh and I both fell silent at this point. I was afraid of saying something that might actually upset him, so I stayed quiet. The ball was in his court now for where this conversation would go next.

    Kricketune had moved onto a sad folk song in the background when Burgh finally deemed himself ready to speak again.

    ¡°Have you ever experienced¡­?¡± he trailed off in a hushed whisper, unable to bring himself to finish.

    I understood anyway.

    He wanted to know if any of my Pokemon had ever passed.

    ¡°I have. Multiple times in fact,¡± I quietly replied.

    Burgh¡¯s shoulders seemed to slump further upon my confirmation. A shuddering breath left him. It was like the last barrier he¡¯d kept around himself and his fragile, bleeding heart disappeared now that he was in the company of someone who¡¯d experienced great loss of their own. His mouth opened and closed a few times as he struggled to find words.

    ¡°Every death hurts as much as the last,¡± he eventually murmured. His voice was so quiet that it was nearly drowned out by the waves. ¡°It doesn¡¯t get any easier.¡±

    ¡°¡­No, it doesn¡¯t.¡±

    It really, truly didn¡¯t. As a Bug Specialist, I¡¯d raised many Pokemon over the years. Not all of them were still with me today. Some I¡¯d met too late in life, but there were others I failed to help raise well enough when I was younger.

    Vivillon, Masquerain, Ledian, Paras¡­

    And Berry.

    My throat constricted painfully. I would have drowned myself in memories if one of the Pokeballs on my belt hadn¡¯t suddenly bloomed with warmth. It was hot enough that it wasn¡¯t pleasant, but not so much that it would burn through my clothes. Rune could sense what I was feeling, and he was reminding me that he was there.

    They all were. I ran a finger against the Pokeballs on my belt as my mind drifted.

    Berry¡­ The damage he sustained from the Relic Castle incident in my childhood left him with permanent internal injuries. Berry had already been old to begin with for a Sewaddle, but he¡¯d pushed his muscles and type energy reserves far past the normal safe limits to save me and dad from the fall. He¡¯d literally used up more of his remaining life to spit out enough silk. His evolution into a Swadloon back then only bought him a little more time. When he started exhibiting signs of an impending death in Alola, clumsy ten-year-old me tried his best to help him evolve again with limited knowledge. I even held off on going on a traditional journey just to spend all my time with Berry.

    When Berry managed to evolve into a Leavanny after much struggle, I thought that was it. He was big now. He was going to live at least as long as I did.

    I was young and naive. The evolution came too late in light of how old and weak Berry was at that point.

    Five years after dad and I moved to Alola, the Leavanny passed away quietly in his sleep.

    I can¡¯t really remember everything that came after. I was devastated for a long, long time and hardly left the house. I¡¯d lost the Pokemon that used to sleep with me every night, the Pokemon that would offer me his food because he thought I wasn¡¯t eating enough, the Pokemon that was always there for me¡­ If not for dad and Rune, I might have even holed up inside our house forever.

    By the time I finally picked myself back up, I was a changed person with a new perspective on life.

    The time we spent on this earth was limited, but what truly mattered was living life to the fullest and not leaving any regrets behind.

    Berry¡¯s death was also the catalyst for me becoming¡­ obsessed with training and battling as dad once put it. I was afraid of more Pokemon of mine dying well before I did.

    So I struggled. I fought strong opponents. I traveled the world in search of any knowledge that could make me a better Bug Specialist, for ways to help my Pokemon reach their fullest potential and live. I traveled with the intent to see and experience everything I could¡­ all because I valued the precious commodity known as life.

    Be better. Faster. That¡¯s all I thought about for a good chunk of my traveling years. I calmed down a bit somewhere in my early twenties once Rune beat it into my head ¡ª literally ¡ª that I needed to enjoy the present more.

    Yet no matter how many years passed, the pain from losing my Pokemon never truly went away. All I could do was carry the memories with me close to my heart and keep moving.

    It was why my heart went out to Burgh and his suffering. I placed my attention back on said man when he shifted slightly in place.

    ¡°Countless losses,¡± he murmured, voice raspy with emotion. ¡°I¡¯ve had to watch gym Pokemon pass away during my tenure as a Gym Leader. I¡¯ve had to say goodbye to three of my team members in the past. Every time, it¡¯s like¡ª it¡¯s like¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡®¡ªmy heart is ripped out,¡¯¡± we finished at the same time.

    The losses we¡¯d experienced could never be compared to one another, but I could understand at least a tiny fraction of what he was feeling.

    Burgh didn¡¯t even seem surprised. He merely offered me a small nod of acknowledgement and a sad smile.

    ¡°You understand. As Bug Specialists, we have to bear any such loss and pain. I¡¯ve always held myself together and kept going, but Vania¡­¡± Burgh¡¯s voice cracked. He inhaled deeply to steady himself before continuing. ¡°She was already old when I first met and caught her. I had long known she would one day pass before me, but this was far too soon.¡±

    Burgh collapsed against the back of the bench. His left hand shook as it combed through messy, tangled hair.

    ¡°I struggled after every death, but I was always able to pick myself back up in the end. This time¡­ it¡¯s different. It¡¯s harder. I don¡¯t know if I can or even when.¡±

    It was a somber and vulnerable admission, one that moved me. I could not hope to imagine the depths of his grief, and I never would. It was a sorrow known to him and him only.

    I could only sit there in silence with him and offer my company as support.

    We didn¡¯t continue that particular topic. Burgh had emotionally drained himself by speaking as much as he had about his Leavanny, so we talked about other things. Anything and everything.

    Just not about what was still weighing him down. I respected his wishes.

    At one point, Burgh noticed me tracing the tattoo on my neck out of habit.

    ¡°Does it mean anything?¡± he asked.

    I blinked, finger pausing mid-trace. ¡°My tattoo?¡±

    When Burgh nodded, I absentmindedly fiddled with the earring on my left ear instead, a small circular red gem.

    ¡°It does,¡± I clarified in a soft voice. My mind was already far away, thinking of the day I¡¯d had the sun blazed into my skin. I¡¯d gotten the tattoo as soon as I was old enough. ¡°It¡¯s a reminder to myself to always look up¡­ to keep going. And¡­ it also helps me remember a promise I made with my starter when I was a kid.¡±

    I was going to leave it at that, but Burgh looked curious enough that I decided to elaborate. He¡¯d shared some very personal stuff with me today anyway. It was only right to reciprocate.

    ¡°For Bugs, they use the sun as a point of navigation. It helps them orient themselves and keep a steady course when flying,¡± I explained. I reached out to the sky with a hand, a nostalgic smile on my face as beams of fading sunlight slipped through the gaps in my fingers. ¡°Every time I see the sun, I know I can stay grounded through anything. That¡¯s what my starter promised to be for me, too. The Sun.¡±

    A memory flashed in my mind of child me and Rune, then a Larvesta, huddled on the floor in my room. That had been back when I was still wallowing in depression from Berry¡¯s death.

    It felt like ages ago now when Rune had made that vow to me.

    Slowly, quietly, I lowered my arm back to my side. When I finally turned my head, I saw Burgh staring at me with suspiciously shiny eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s beautiful,¡± he told me in a hoarse voice. ¡°It¡¯s a very meaningful tattoo and promise. You have a good partner.¡±

    I wondered if he was thinking about his own starter, but I didn¡¯t ask. I smiled softly.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Time passed. It was only when the sky darkened completely and the sun disappeared from view that we finally put a pin on our long and deep conversation. Kricketune bounded over with a cap bursting to the brim with paper bills and coins alike, and Armaldo and Heracross joined us soon after. They¡¯d all waited patiently for me to finish talking to Burgh. I stood up from my bench and smiled at the man I¡¯d become acquainted with over the last hour and a half.

    ¡°I need to head back to my hotel, but it was nice meeting you, Burgh,¡± I said with all the sincerity I could muster. It had truly been a one-of-a-kind encounter in this city populated by millions.

    He offered a smile in return. It was still tinged with sadness, but he looked a little better than he had before we started talking.

    ¡°You as well, Kayden. How long are you staying in Castelia for again?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet. At least a week for sure.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well¡­ I truly enjoyed our chat today. It¡¯s not often I get to speak with a Bug Specialist of your caliber. I¡¯m usually here at Liberty Pier at the same time everyday. Feel free to come and visit again if you¡¯d like to talk more.¡±

    I was more than happy to take him up on that offer. My smile deepened.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    I waved goodbye to him and walked away, but I couldn¡¯t help turning back one last time when I was further down the pier. Burgh had gone back to staring at the endless sea.

    The sight of his small, hunched figure sitting in the dark left a deeply sad impression on me.

    <hr>

    I didn¡¯t sleep right away after showering that night.

    Instead, I sat in bed with a pillow propped up behind my back and my phone in front of me. I had about a dozen different Zoogle tabs open as well as social media apps. All of them were related to Burgh and city news.

    While the man hadn¡¯t talked any further about his Leavanny, he¡¯d mentioned plenty of other things about his life.

    When his Leavanny passed away last month, the Castelia Gym immediately stopped taking reservations. Burgh barely had it in him to wrap up all currently-booked challenges at his gym before he closed it and made the decision to retire. Luckily, the League had been okay with this because Unova had a plethora of Gyms compared to some other countries. Trainers still had plenty of options for places to get badges before the current Circuit ended.

    And like I¡¯d already seen for myself today at Adonna Market, Burgh¡¯s decision had garnered mixed reactions.

    I found many posts online where people sympathized with him and understood the need to grieve, but¡­ there were others who couldn¡¯t understand why he wouldn¡¯t take a short break instead and come back in the fall for the next League Circuit. Even trainers, those who worked closely with and shared deep bonds with Pokemon, didn¡¯t understand why Burgh had seemingly thrown his career away. He wasn¡¯t much older than me and had his whole life ahead of him.

    I wanted to tell all those people that Burgh could do whatever the hell he wanted, whatever he felt was right for him. Only he knew what was the best path forward. A Gym Leader was a pillar of their community and the country at large, but they were also still very much human.

    The worst posts were from people who talked shit about Burgh and Bug type Pokemon in general. Most of them were from non-locals thankfully. The people of Castelia had a deeper appreciation for the Bug type than others thanks to Burgh¡¯s leadership and efforts over the years. He¡¯d hosted dozens of art exhibits, charity galas, and the like to spread awareness of Bug type Pokemon.

    Still, it was disturbing reading some of the things people said online. There was a good mix of civilian and trainer opinions.

    Why would you bother raising one? Bugs are creepy.

    They¡¯re so weak in the beginning, and they¡¯ll die early if you don¡¯t take good enough care of them. You¡¯re better off training something else.

    Bug Gyms are only good for beginner trainers. Just bring a lot of Fire types and you¡¯ll get your first badge easy peasy.

    And so on and so forth.

    I couldn¡¯t get past more than a scroll¡¯s worth on Chatter before my blood boiled, so I closed the toxic cesspool known as social media and focused more on news instead.

    Right now, the Unova League was going through a list of candidates for the next Castelia Gym Leader. Unova was a bit different compared to places like Kanto-Johto where gyms were traditionally passed down through families. Here, gyms weren¡¯t necessarily family-bound and could be led by anyone capable enough.

    It was highly likely that the gym¡¯s type specialization was going to change. There weren¡¯t any other high-level Bug Specialists in the region. Burgh hadn¡¯t trained a potential successor during his tenure, and none of his gym trainers were strong enough to inherit the mantle. Gym Leaders were the most powerful trainers in the country after the Elite Four and the Champion. They had to be because they were considered a core part of national security.

    Rumors online seemed to suggest the League was leaning towards calling back an elderly Grass Gym Leader who¡¯d last served thirty-five years ago, or the more likely option, a retired Elite Four member. The League had apparently tried reaching out to two former Ace Trainers first, twin brothers by the name of Ingo and Emmet, but they¡¯d declined. They were satisfied with running something called the Battle Subway in Nimbasa¡­ which was probably added in the last two decades given that I didn¡¯t recognize it.

    Regardless of who ended up taking over the gym, I only hoped they would do a good job of running it. I hoped they would honor Burgh¡¯s legacy as well as all those who had come before him. This wish didn¡¯t just come from the camaraderie I¡¯d formed with Burgh tonight but from my perspective as a Castelia native.

    I might have been gone twenty years, but I still cared a lot about my birthplace. This was where I¡¯d been born and raised.

    My phone was promptly tossed onto the bedside table. I¡¯d had enough of looking at the news tonight. While I tidied up my bed and got ready to sleep, Rune flew over from the other side of the room. His massive body landed on the blankets with a muted oomph.

    Thank the Twin Dragons that I¡¯d paid extra money for a nice suite. The bed was big enough to support the Volcarona.

    He crawled over to where I¡¯d laid my head down and stared at me. Others might have found it unnerving to be stared at by large compound eyes at close quarters, but I found the blue comforting.

    ¡°Rune¡­¡± I trailed off, thinking.

    I thought again about the man sitting by the docks and the sad and indescribably small back etched into my mind. I hoped Burgh had gone home already and wasn¡¯t staying out there too late at night.

    Rune buzzed, prompting me to continue.

    I reached out with a hand and patted the white fuzz around his head. As always, he radiated a pleasant warmth.

    ¡°I hope you, me, and the team will always be there for each other when we need it,¡± I finally said in a quiet voice.

    I closed my eyes to the sound of Rune buzzing again, this time in a softer tone.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Always, he promised.

    That night, I dreamed about two Leavanny watching over the city from the skies above.

    <hr>

    The second morning of our trip was as fun as the first.

    I woke up early and took my Pokemon to Eli Park. It was a massive urban park renowned the world over for its 800-something acres of stunning greenery. Nowhere else could you find such a paradise hidden within a sprawling metropolis. Most of our time was spent walking up and down winding trails of trees and hills, but I rented a canoe halfway through to paddle around one of the lakes. We spent three hours there in total. It sounded like a lot, but in reality, we only covered a tiny fraction of what the place had to offer within that timeframe.

    I promised to take my Pokemon back to the park a few more times before our vacation ended. That was how much they enjoyed it.

    After the park, we explored Unova¡¯s largest museum: the Sanrobert Museum, or the San as it was commonly abbreviated.

    We didn¡¯t make much of a dent in that place, either. There were enough exhibits in there that it would take at least a full day to see everything, but we did view a decent part of the permanent collection and some limited-time exhibits.

    It was a great morning all things considered.

    Then I went into a popular cafe for some coffee and lunch, and I experienced the first little hiccup in my vacation.

    Vespiquen and I had taken seats at an outdoor dining table. We were going to bring all the food we¡¯d ordered back to the hotel to enjoy with the team, but we planned on finishing our drinks here first while people-watching.

    A game ensued where we tried to guess the occupations of bystanders like we were detectives. Not to brag, but Vespiquen and I were great at this. We were good at analyzing opponents in battle, and that skill translated over to daily life, too.

    The two of us were tied 6-6 when someone interrupted.

    ¡°Kayden Sterling?¡±

    I set down my coffee and shifted slightly in my seat, one arm hoisting itself over the top rail. A mere two feet away, a young man in his twenties looked at me with an unformed inquiry hanging off his puckered lips.

    ¡°That¡¯s my name alright, don¡¯t wear it out,¡± I drawled back in good humor, though one of my brows rose in confusion. I had no idea who this guy was, but he didn¡¯t seem to have bad intentions. I at least knew he was a trainer. Pokeballs were on full display along his belt.

    The young man¡¯s eyes sparkled once I confirmed my identity. He fist pumped the air with much gusto.

    ¡°I knew I didn¡¯t see wrong! I saw your IBC match with Preston Karls last year in Galar,¡± he babbled in an excited voice. He was loud enough that he attracted attention from people calmly eating their meals nearby. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d run into you while visiting my parents. I actually sent you a battle request the other day, the one from Jacky Coleman. You up for a six-on-six? I¡¯d really like to battle an Ability Holder.¡±

    Could he have said that any louder?

    All at once, heads swiveled around and looked at me. People kept eating, but they started murmuring in low voices to one another. I¡¯d focus on them later. I had to deal with this guy first.

    My identity as an Ability Holder was old news for the part of the trainer community that knew of me. One quick Zoogle or Caterpedia search, and bam, you¡¯d find the info listed online under my trainer profile. It was fairly public knowledge. People could even search for Ability Holders on public registries if they wanted.

    Anyway, it seemed this dude was a fellow member of the International Battle Club. A quick trip through my mental archives revealed that yes, I did remember seeing that battle request he mentioned. I¡¯d seen his email the night before our trip to Unova but had disregarded it at the time.

    Just like then, I didn¡¯t feel particularly interested in battling. I was starting to think something was seriously wrong with me at this point. Maybe it was just burnout from battling too much lately?

    For now, I gave Jacky a polite smile and shake of my head.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m on vacation. Maybe another time.¡±

    The guy deflated instantly. I was pretty sure he¡¯d expected me to agree because I was known for never turning down challenges. Still, he gave a polite smile back and left me to finish my drink in peace.

    I couldn¡¯t have done that even if I wanted to.

    People were still not-so-discreetly looking at me. A few had even taken out their phones to type on them, maybe to look me up on Zoogle. I forced myself to maintain a neutral expression and keep my head up.

    Well, here we were. I hadn¡¯t expected to go unnoticed forever, of course, but could you blame a guy for wanting to stay under the radar for as long as possible? I¡¯d told myself I wasn¡¯t going to give two shits if anyone recognized me, but that didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t curious.

    Ability Holders used to be feared and seen as harbingers of violence and doom. Today, the stigma surrounding them had mostly disappeared in every country around the world. I¡¯d seen it for myself in my travels.

    I just didn¡¯t know how they were viewed in Unova nowadays, the land where they had the most notorious history of all.

    I brought my cup of coffee back up to my lips, but I didn¡¯t truly savor the drink. My eyes darted around the surrounding area instead.

    I don¡¯t know what I was more surprised by: the overall lack of open hostility or the curious looks being cast my way. I mean, yeah, there were two older men in the corner giving me distrustful glares, but the rest of the cafe¡¯s patrons simply looked curious. One college student even looked excited.

    Weird. Very weird.

    Maybe it was a bit dramatic, but I thought I¡¯d be paraded through the streets and handed off to the authorities to be burned at the stake. Anything but this relatively calm reception.

    The Unova League had somehow done it. They¡¯d actually managed to change the general perception of Ability Holders in this day and age. How exactly they¡¯d done that, I didn¡¯t actually know. I was starting to regret not catching up on Unova news over the years¡ª

    ¡°Kayden Sterling?¡±

    Deja vu.

    I turned in my seat again and squinted briefly at the person who¡¯d spoken. It was a guy closer to my age this time. There were only two Pokeballs on his belt, so he wasn¡¯t much of a trainer it seemed. Definitely not from the IBC. The most interesting thing was that he stared at me like he¡¯d just seen a Legendary.

    ¡°That¡¯s what that guy said earlier, right?¡± he went on, and he took a step closer. Vespiquen eyed him suspiciously. ¡°I¡­ wow. You look so different. Do you remember me? Hayden?¡±

    I stared at him blankly. Hayden wasn¡¯t exactly an uncommon name, but I did my best to sift through the names of people I¡¯d met recently. My memory was superb, I just needed a few moments¡ª

    But no, the stranger helpfully expedited the process for me.

    ¡°Jones. Hayden Jones,¡± he tacked on hurriedly. ¡°From Riverview Elementary School. We were classmates in first grade.¡±

    Oh.

    I snapped my fingers. He was from way, way back and not a recent acquaintance. Now I remembered him.

    ¡°The guy who used to pick on me,¡± I said with a sage nod of my head. That got two reactions: a cringe from Hayden and a displeased hiss from Vespiquen.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really sorry about that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. I never cared too much in the first place. That was years ago. We were kids,¡± I cut him off, slicing a hand through the air for emphasis. ¡°Water under the bridge.¡±

    I meant it. Hayden¡¯s presence in my childhood had been so insignificant that I¡¯d honestly forgotten all about him after I got older. He still smiled awkwardly in spite of my forgiveness. His eyes darted to the empty seats at our table.

    ¡°Uh¡­ would it be okay if I took up some of your time actually? For a quick chat?¡± he asked.

    Vespiquen gave me a look like she really didn¡¯t want the guy to join us, but I gave her a be nice look in return. She acquiesced with a grumpy flutter of her wings.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I easily accepted, shrugging. I still had to finish my coffee anyway.

    Hayden looked cautiously at Vespiquen. To my amusement, he skirted around her and quietly took a seat on my other side. He seemed to be on some sort of lunch break if the ID hanging from a lanyard on his neck was anything to go by, not to mention the paper bag he set down on the table. I smelled something good coming from it¡­ a freshly-toasted bagel.

    It was then that Hayden noticed me staring at his work ID, and he chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m on a lunch break right now,¡± he said, confirming my earlier hunch. A proud smile decorated his face as he held the lanyard out to me. There was a logo I¡¯d never seen before on there as well as his picture and name. ¡°I¡¯m a senior officer at Unova Liberty Center. It¡¯s an organization that helps advocate for trainer and Pokemon rights.¡±

    Both my brows shot up in surprise.

    ¡°Wow,¡± was all I had to say. I would have never pegged him as the type to pursue such meaningful work.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking: it doesn¡¯t suit the childhood image you have of me,¡± he chuckled. ¡°When I was a kid, I thought I¡¯d grow up to be a famous trainer or maybe a businessman like my dad. Funny how things work out, but I love what I do now. Actually¡­¡±

    He paused to look at me. The previous cheer on his face melted into a nervous expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of related to what I wanted to talk to you about.¡±

    My brows were still raised high.

    ¡°Alright. Shoot.¡±

    Hayden leaned forward, voice dropping several octaves.

    ¡°The Relic Castle field trip we took in first grade,¡± he muttered. ¡°You remember that, right?¡±

    ¡°Definitely, we fell down there. Of course I¡¯d remember. What about it?¡±

    ¡°¡­I know what you did for me and the others.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I stared at him with a neutral expression, careful to not let anything show on my face. Hayden stared right back.

    ¡°I woke up briefly while we were trapped down there. It was when, uh, you summoned those Dwebble and Crustle and¡­ talked to them? I think? I didn¡¯t really understand at the time, but that¡¯s how I interpreted it over the years,¡± he whispered. ¡°I blacked out again before we got out, but I¡¯ve never forgotten.¡±

    He looked me dead in the eye. Then, slowly, he bowed his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ years late, but I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for saving me and the others.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything at first. I thought about denying it, but there was really no point. When Hayden raised his head, that¡¯s when I finally opened my mouth.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it to be thanked, but I appreciate it.¡±

    Hayden smiled in relief. Perhaps he¡¯d expected me to argue with him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t told anyone about what I saw. Even the League doesn¡¯t know. They thought I was unconscious the whole time,¡± he assured me, chuckling. He fiddled with his lanyard. ¡°I wanted to thank you back then, but they told us at school that you¡¯d moved away. It was only when I was older that I kinda figured out you¡¯d probably gotten kicked out by the government instead.¡±

    He was smarter than I gave him credit for.

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re the reason why I joined the Unova Liberty Center as a teenager,¡± he continued.

    I actually gaped a little at him before snapping my mouth shut.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded. ¡°You inspired me to do good and make Unova a better place. We didn¡¯t do right by Ability Holders back then. At ULC, our biggest goal is improving the treatment of Ability Holders here. We¡¯ve spent years fighting with the government to make our voices heard. I¡¯d like to think we were actually a big part of why new laws were passed awhile back, but maybe that¡¯s me getting a big head.¡±

    I sat there in stunned silence for a few moments.

    Hayden had made it his life¡¯s work to fight for the rights of Ability Holders. The idea that my actions back then had influenced another person¡¯s way of life and even their career was¡­ incredibly touching.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I said honestly. ¡°Wait no, I do. You¡¯re incredible. Unova needs more people like you.¡±

    Hayden rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

    ¡°No, no,¡± he denied, utterly flustered. ¡°You¡¯re the incredible one between the two of us. I actually heard about you on the news years back. It was when you beat, uh¡­ who was it again¡­ right, Champion Leon from Galar. And some Champion of an up-and-coming region down south, I think? I was kinda confused because they reported you as a trainer from Alola, so I thought maybe I was thinking of the wrong guy.¡±

    I remembered. That had been during my teenage years before I got tired of slow-paced League Circuits and joined the professional trainer scene instead.

    ¡°No, that was me,¡± I confirmed after a sip of coffee. ¡°I have dual citizenship. I always told reporters Alola instead of Unova because I didn¡¯t want them poking around in my history. That and¡­ I didn¡¯t exactly have good feelings about the Unova League. Didn¡¯t want to be associated with them after they kicked me out.¡±

    I went ahead and confirmed the reason for my untimely departure from Unova. I didn¡¯t really see a point in keeping it a secret since he¡¯d kinda guessed it on his own already.

    ¡°Oh,¡± came Hayden¡¯s awkward single-word reply. I calmly sipped more of my coffee while he stared at me. The silence was only broken after he cleared his throat. ¡°That¡¯s valid, but uh¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you be more mad at the civilian side of the government then? Or the previous Champion¡¯s administration?¡±

    I stared at him.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    He stared back at me with a puzzled look.

    ¡°Because¡­ they¡¯re the ones who pressured Alder and the League and pushed so hard for Ability Holder restrictions in the first place?¡±

    I kept staring at him, this time as if he¡¯d grown a second head. He mirrored my expression.

    ¡°Did you¡­ did you not know?¡± he asked almost helplessly. ¡°Are you at least aware of current news?¡±

    ¡°No to both of those,¡± I admitted after a moment of silence. ¡°Did my best to stay away from Unova anything over the years. This is actually my first time back in the country in two decades.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Hayden said again with wide eyes. ¡°Oh wow. Okay, um, you¡¯ve missed a lot then.¡±

    I set down my coffee, eyes narrowing as I leaned in. My curiosity was piqued.

    ¡°What have I missed? And what did you mean about the civilian government pressuring Alder?¡±

    Hayden raised an arm to look at his watch.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some time, so I don¡¯t mind giving you a rundown on how Unova¡¯s political landscape has shifted over the years¡ª uh, do you mind if I eat in between?¡± he asked.

    The moment I shook my head, he reached for the paper bag in front of him and tore it open. An appetizing bagel was slowly revealed.

    ¡°Before I get into anything, would you be willing to share what brought you back after so long? I¡¯m sensing there¡¯s a story behind it.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I first got a letter five years ago from the Unova League. They said they passed new legislation that helped Ability Holders¡­¡±

    When I finished my rough explanation, Hayden looked to be in deep thought. He was already a third of the way done with his food.

    ¡°Alright, I think I get the picture. Just to clarify, it seems you don¡¯t actually know a lot about how the Unovan government works then?¡± he asked. It wasn¡¯t in a condescending way. He was just probing to see how much he needed to cover.

    It was a bit painful to admit, but I nodded my head. Anything I knew was broad, vague knowledge of the overall government structure I learned as a kid.

    And like most kids, I wasn¡¯t interested in learning about politics at the time.

    ¡°We¡¯ll circle back to that letter you got later. First, let¡¯s start further back than twenty years ago,¡± Hayden began. He held his bagel with one hand and chucked the ripped up bag it came from into a nearby trash can. ¡°So we both know Unova has a crazy high percentage of Ability Holders compared to other regions. They¡¯ve been feared throughout the ages here. The previous Champion before Alder, Ruben Corbel, didn¡¯t try to make things better. He made things worse.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± I nearly demanded.

    Hayden took a chunk out of his bagel before answering, but he made sure to chew and swallow first.

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason Ruben¡¯s one of the least popular Champions in our history,¡± he warned. ¡°He was buddy-buddy with a lot of the civilian executive officials and made tons of shady deals with them. ¡®You scratch my back, and I scratch yours¡¯ kind of thing. If there were laws they wanted passed, they helped each other out. Something they both happened to agree on was the danger Ability Holders presented. Civilians have always been the ones most scared of ¡®em, but Ruben took a hardline stance, too, and condemned them further during his tenure. Public perception got even more twisted.¡±

    I nodded, waiting for Hayden to eat a bit more of his bagel before he could continue.

    ¡°Obviously, Ruben¡¯s not around anymore. Alder defeated him and ascended as Champion, but he faced a huge problem right after taking up office. He didn¡¯t have any allies. Practically all of the League and civilian side of the government were supporters of Ruben who held similar beliefs as the former Champion. Alder was even stuck with Ruben¡¯s Elite Four. Even if he wanted to get stuff done, he didn¡¯t have the people to back him up.¡±

    Hayden wagged a finger through the air.

    ¡°Unova: the country that espouses freedom and democracy,¡± he said in a grave tone. ¡°Compared to some other regions in the world, we have a more balanced system of power here. The Champion¡¯s word isn¡¯t absolute law. They can¡¯t just do whatever they want. In most cases, they need approval. They might hold a lot of power, but they also share that power with the League and government. The Twin Heroes believed in a society where civilians, trainers, and Pokemon worked together to live in peace.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Back to Alder. He actually faced a bit of flak in his early reign because he wanted to improve the rights of Ability Holders. He championed equality for everyone. To no one¡¯s surprise, the civilian side of the government hated him. They had enough support to block every single law he tried to pass that would help Ability Holders¡­ and this struggle went on¡­ and on¡­ and on over the years.¡±

    My throat suddenly felt dry. Alder had been a lone man fighting for what he believed in amidst a sea of enemies.

    ¡°Thankfully, by the time you and I were in first grade, Alder wasn¡¯t quite alone anymore. It took years, but he gradually got himself more supporters in the League and the government. Even half of the old Elite Four had been beaten out and replaced by more progressive, like-minded trainers by then. Alder was able to get more things done.¡±

    ¡°But not anything that would help Ability Holders,¡± I guessed out loud.

    Hayden sighed, nodding.

    ¡°But not that,¡± he agreed. ¡°The civilian side of the government fought back the hardest in that area. They were already fearful of strong trainers and their Pokemon. People with supernatural abilities? That scared them even more. There were so many cases back then of them voting to straight up exile Ability Holders. Alder and his supporters always tried to stop them, of course, but they had to fold to the majority. I¡¯m sorry for bringing up what¡¯s possibly an old wound for you, but that¡¯s probably what happened to you, too. They outvoted Alder and his people.¡±

    My mind drifted momentarily to those childhood memories where I sat in a room at League HQ with my family, Alder, the Elite Four, and a bunch of civilian officials.

    With startling clarity, I remembered a lot of things I¡¯d never thought too deeply about in the past. The way only half of the Elite Four had been outright hostile to me during interrogation, the way Alder and the other two members tried to be nicer about it¡­

    Most of all, I remembered how uncomfortable Alder had looked multiple times throughout the conversation that followed, the one where he had to tell us the verdict the government had decided on. I thought about the specific word choices he¡¯d used and even the private chat he had with me after.

    I¡¯m sorry.

    There¡¯s not much else I can do.

    This was the best I could negotiate with our government.

    It really does suck having this job sometimes. I have to do things I don¡¯t like.

    All of that and more flashed through my mind in the span of a single second.

    It was sobering how different the conversation seemed to be now that I was re-framing it with a different perspective, context, and newfound knowledge in mind. I¡¯d been too blinded by anger at the time to think about the deeper reasons for how and why. Kid me had only cared about the what. I¡¯d perceived everyone in that room as belonging to a single bad entity, one that was wrongfully kicking me out.

    The government and part of the Unova League might have wanted me gone, but Alder and those who sided with him hadn¡¯t. Thanks to Hayden, I now realized they just didn¡¯t have the political power at the time to stop it.

    A lump formed in my throat. I forced myself to swallow it and looked Hayden in the eye.

    ¡°¡­Go on,¡± I finally said.

    Hayden studied me first as if to make sure I was okay. When he was satisfied, he gave an almost imperceptible nod.

    ¡°I think it was about six months after the Relic Castle incident. Alder came out swinging with drafts for a bunch of new laws aimed at protecting Ability Holders. It was a big deal at the time because he¡¯d never been so adamant about getting laws passed before. After that, he started racing with the civilian side of the government to get the numbers advantage. Hell, some politicians got nervous enough that they even endorsed veteran trainers to try and knock Alder out of his seat. Didn¡¯t matter. He sent them packing. Human rights groups like the one I belong to also started becoming more active at this time. While we protested on behalf of Ability Holders, Alder and those on his side at the League actively ran campaigns to spread awareness of Ability Holders and reinforce the idea that they should be treated like equals.¡±

    Here, Hayden¡¯s grim countenance actually turned into a smiling one.

    ¡°Things got easier for Alder after the last two Elite Four members who¡¯d been a part of Ruben¡¯s reign were defeated and replaced. He went on to personally seek out and select people who¡¯d be good fits for Gym Leaders as the old and conservative generation slowly retired. It took over ten years, but Alder finally filled his side with enough people. They weren¡¯t the minority any longer but the majority.¡±

    His bagel was gone now. Hayden leaned back in his seat with a full-on grin at this point.

    ¡°The first law he came out with was one that allowed Ability Holders to take up positions within the government and League, something that was never allowed before. Then five years ago, Alder passed an even more monumental piece of legislation known as the Ability Holder Civil Rights Act. Basically, it protects Ability Holders from discrimination and enhances the capacity of the Unova League to protect them.¡±

    ¡°The letters I got¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s the legislation they mentioned. The Unova League gave out pardons to anyone wrongfully condemned in the past. All those people weren¡¯t exactly happy, of course, but the League tried its best to make up for past wrongs. They even started new programs that assisted Ability Holders with housing, finding jobs, all that jazz. And to top things off, they¡¯ve been actively hiring Ability Holders to show their willingness to work together. There are two whole squads of Rangers and League Trainers comprised entirely of Ability Holders. We even have an Ability Holder who¡¯s a Gym Leader¡ª¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± I interrupted, genuinely surprised.

    Hayden nodded vigorously.

    ¡°Oh yeah, that was a whole big deal of its own at the time. The civilian government threw a fit over it. Iris Shaga ¡ª she¡¯s the adoptive granddaughter of Drayden Shaga ¡ª is this seventeen-year-old girl who can talk to Dragons. Crazy strong to the point where she won the Conference on her first try and even beat up one of the Elite Four. She¡¯s been the co-Gym Leader of Opelucid City for two years now.¡±

    I whistled out loud. That was a talented teenager right there. I almost felt my spark for battling come back, but it fizzled out in seconds.

    ¡°Anyway, to sum things up, things are much better in Unova nowadays for Ability Holders. Public opinion is never going to be fully united, but there¡¯s a decent amount of respect out there for them. Most of it is thanks to those who work for the League and have helped maintain the region¡¯s safety over the years. ¡®Course, we had some hiccups like Ability Holders going rogue and committing criminal acts, but overall, things are on the rise. It¡¯s a good time to be back in Unova, Kayden.¡±

    Hayden finally finished everything he had to say and beamed at me. His face fell when he realized I wasn¡¯t smiling.

    ¡°Y-You okay? I thought you¡¯d be happy knowing how things have changed,¡± he stammered. ¡°Or did you not understand some things? I could explain again if you¡¯d like¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I quietly cut in with a shake of my head. ¡°No, I understood. Thanks for explaining it all. I¡¯m just¡­ a bit shocked I guess, and ashamed I didn¡¯t bother looking into anything on my own over the last two decades. I was so busy being angry, I¡ª¡±

    I halted mid-sentence, breathing harshly.

    Arceus. I felt a bit like a fool.

    I¡¯d spent years resenting the Unova League and government with no idea of the power struggle going on behind the scenes. I¡¯d even misplaced my anger onto the wrong people.

    I¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ashamed, Kayden,¡± Hayden said softly, breaking me out of my thoughts. I looked up to find him looking at me with sympathy. ¡°You were angry. They kicked you out of your home. I¡¯d think anyone else in your shoes would probably react the same.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I breathed in and out for a few moments. My mind was still swirling with thoughts ¡ª so, so many thoughts ¡ª but I couldn¡¯t unravel everything here in public.

    ¡°¡­Thanks,¡± I finally said once I was ready to talk again. I hoped I didn¡¯t sound too sullen.

    Hayden smiled awkwardly in response.

    ¡°A-Anyway, the ULC still has a lot of work ahead of us. Just because Alder has more influence now doesn¡¯t mean that the civilian side of the government is sitting around twiddling their thumbs. They¡¯re trying to snatch back power and undo all the recent legislation about Ability Holders. We¡¯re going to keep advocating for Ability Holder rights and encourage people to vote for the right officials¡­¡±

    I could tell he was trying to come up with stuff to fill the now awkward atmosphere with, so I thought I¡¯d help him out even though I kind of wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk anymore.

    ¡°How big is the Unova Liberty Center?¡±

    ¡°Oh! We¡¯re the second biggest human rights organization in Unova. Our HQ is here in Castelia, but we¡¯ve got branches all over the country. Our biggest nuisance right now is a growing rights organization called Plasma United. They¡¯re all about Pokemon rights, but it¡¯s honestly becoming more and more like a cult than anything else. Nutjobs, I tell you¡­¡±

    I talked aimlessly with Hayden a bit longer¡ª well, it was more him talking and me listening. He had to leave eventually because his lunch break was about to end. Apparently he was flying out to Mistraltron City the next day to help with a week-long fundraiser, so we probably weren¡¯t going to see each other again before I left Unova.

    Before we parted, he made me promise to contact him or the ULC if I was ever in need of help. I waved goodbye to him with a faint smile on my face. I wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d changed a lot in two decades. Others had, too.

    As for the rest of the day¡­ well, it passed by in one big blur.

    I meant it almost literally. I couldn¡¯t remember a lot of what happened, only the motions I went through with my Pokemon. I couldn¡¯t even pay full attention to the expensive musical we watched in the Theater District, the one I¡¯d rented out a private viewing room for.

    The whole day, my mind kept replaying childhood memories and my educational conversation with Hayden.

    Despite how out of it I was, or perhaps because of it, I dutifully made my way to Liberty Pier in the evening. I desperately needed another human being to talk to.

    Burgh was there like he said he¡¯d be.

 Chapter 6 â€” The Life We Live

    CHAPTER 6 ¡ª The Life We Live

    The former Castelia Gym Leader sat on the exact same bench as yesterday.

    Once again, he¡¯d brought a canvas and tubes of paint, but they were all untouched. I slid into the empty seat next to him while Kricketune darted off to busk, this time with Flygon for accompaniment. A weary yet genuine smile was directed my way.

    ¡°Hello, Kayden.¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    We chatted idly for a bit. Even though I was struggling with the weight of newfound revelations, I made sure to be present in my conversation with Burgh. I paid close attention whenever he spoke in his quiet, raspy voice.

    He didn¡¯t mention his Leavanny at all, and I didn¡¯t ask.

    There was something nagging at the back of my mind the whole time we spoke, though, and eventually I made myself say it during a lull in the conversation. I wanted to hear the perspective of a former Gym Leader.

    ¡°How do you feel about Unova today?¡± I asked suddenly.

    Burgh had enough strength in him to raise one brow.

    ¡°That¡¯s a very broad question. I don¡¯t suppose you could narrow it down a bit for me?¡±

    ¡°Ability Holders,¡± I supplemented. ¡°How do you feel about them? Do you think Unova is heading in the right direction? Do you believe the League can ever make up for past mistakes?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Burgh didn¡¯t respond right away to the loaded questions I threw at him. He stared out at the sea and tapped a bony finger in long, fragmented intervals against his knee.

    ¡°I¡¯m not particularly close with any Ability Holders,¡± Burgh finally admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve worked with a few of them in recent years, though, some Rangers who sometimes came by and helped patrol the Desert Resort. They were good people. One of them had actually been exiled by the old administration ¡ª the previous Champion¡¯s reign ¡ª many years ago, but she came back after new laws were passed and decided to stay.¡±

    I stared at him.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she feel any outrage?¡±

    ¡°Oh, she definitely did,¡± Burgh replied with a grave nod of his head. ¡°But that outrage gave way to a quiet determination after she met Alder. Our Champion is more charismatic than he might initially seem. He can light a fire in the hearts of others. I heard he apologized to her on behalf of his predecessor and asked a question not unlike the one he asked me many years ago.¡±

    My voice was a mere whisper.

    ¡°And what was that?¡±

    Burgh actually cracked a small smile. ¡°I still remember it clear as day. After the previous Castelia Gym Leader, Marcus, passed away, Alder chose me of all people to inherit his position. He called me to his office and said to me¡­¡±

    He paused, lifeless eyes shining for a moment in the dark. They resembled stars as he carefully recited word after word.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m tired of being told what I can and cannot do. For a country that values freedom, we bind others with so many restrictions. I need people on my side, brave souls who haven¡¯t forgotten the true ideals of Unova: a place where everyone can be happy and equal. I only have one question for you, Burgh Arty. Will you join me in my endeavors to forge a better future with our own hands?¡¯¡±

    It was strange. Burgh¡¯s words almost seemed to echo and resonate in the warm evening air.

    Thump.

    Had that sound come from the passing waves, or had it come from my own heart? I had no way of knowing. Burgh turned now to look at me. That small smile still remained on his face.

    ¡°Inspiring, isn¡¯t it? You know how the rest of the story goes. I joined the ranks of the Unova League, and I¡¯ve never regretted it. We fought our hardest against the old administration, and Alder made good on his promise to make Unova a better place in the end. We¡¯re in a peaceful, cooperative era with Ability Holders and even the continent on the other side of the world now,¡± Burgh chuckled. ¡°So yes, I do believe Unova is heading in the right direction. Now, could the League ever fully make up for the wrongdoings of the past? No. Some wounds dig too deep.¡±

    I jolted in place. I hadn¡¯t expected him to say that, but Burgh wasn¡¯t done yet.

    It was then I got a glimpse of the old Castelia Gym Leader, a version of Burgh that brimmed with life and passion as he clenched a shaking hand.

    ¡°But we must do our best everyday to try. We owe it to ourselves, to those who were hurt, and to those who could get hurt in the future. It¡¯s as they say: Unova is the land of freedom, but it is also home to the brave. We must have the courage to defend our rights, to pave a path of our own and carve out a future where people have the freedom to live as they¡¯d like.¡±

    It was almost poetic. I found myself repeating Burgh¡¯s words in my head like a quiet chant.

    The courage to defend our rights, to pave a path of our own¡­

    While I was lost in thought, Burgh went back to looking like a former shell of himself. I didn¡¯t even have time to blink. He had turned to gaze at the city in the distance in the time it took me to refocus on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s a neverending fight they¡¯ll have to carry on without me,¡± he finished, voice barely above a murmur.

    So much life. So much passion.

    Yet all of it had seemingly burned away with a loss that stung too hard.

    My throat felt dry, so very dry. I had to clear it once, twice, three times before I could bring myself to speak.

    ¡°What made you want to be a Gym Leader?¡± I rasped out, hoping it might bring some life back to him. ¡°What motivated you?¡±

    I¡¯d found myself wondering this yesterday, too. I¡¯d seen glimpses of the old Burgh in between small gaps of conversation whenever we¡¯d talked about the Castelia Gym. He obviously still cared a lot for it even though he¡¯d retired.

    ¡°Another interesting question,¡± Burgh mused out loud, smiling. ¡°I never dreamed of becoming one at first. I was content to be under the tutelage of an esteemed Bug Specialist like Marcus, and I spent most of my free time painting. But then¡­¡±

    He sighed, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Marcus fell ill. They said he wasn¡¯t going to make it past the month. Talks of who would inherit the Gym began passing through both our walls and the League¡¯s. Most of the other gym trainers thought it would be me, and that terrified me at the time. I didn¡¯t think I could do it.¡±

    ¡°But you took up the mantle in the end. You accepted Alder¡¯s appointment.¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Burgh nodded. ¡°Alder might have inspired me, but it was my passion for Bug Pokemon that mattered the most in the end. As you might already be aware of as a fellow Bug Specialist, Bugs aren¡¯t the most appreciated Pokemon in the world.¡±

    I tried not to frown but failed. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Fortunately, my reaction also made Burgh laugh a little. ¡°I understand your feelings. In my case, I decided to use my new position as Gym Leader to not only help Alder achieve his goals, but to show people the beauty of Bugs. I find them beautiful both inside and out, but it¡¯s disheartening how many people seem to think they¡¯re ugly, frail creatures with nothing to show. They don¡¯t see past their exterior for the beautiful souls they have and the meaningful lives they live.¡±

    Life returned to him for every word he spoke. The Gym Leader of Castelia still lived deep within the hollow shell, and he pointed to the city glowing in the distance.

    ¡°See the city?¡± he urged me. ¡°Not everyone is fond of sprawling metropolises. Some find them dirty, dreary, and full of concrete and pollution, but what I see is a city teeming with vibrant life. A city full of movement, chaotic as it is, and people busy trying to live their lives the way they know how. It¡¯s a beauty in my eyes some may never understand, just like the beauty I perceive from Bugs.¡±

    He lowered his arm, deflating once more as he turned to face me.

    ¡°A Gym Leader cannot run a gym or their community without passion to guide them¡­ and my passion only burned as brightly as it did because I had my Pokemon with me. That¡¯s why I decided to retire even though people were against it. Forgive my language, but I don¡¯t want to do a half-assed job with a hole in my heart I don¡¯t know how to fix,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°And that¡¯s perfectly fine,¡± I followed up in a slow, calm voice. ¡°That¡¯s your decision.¡±

    Burgh cracked another smile, and I felt proud of myself that I¡¯d gotten so many out of him tonight.

    ¡°I appreciate it, Kayden. Not just for that, but for everything. You¡¯ve never once tried to change my mind or offer solutions. You¡¯ve always acknowledged my feelings and listened,¡± he told me.

    I gave a smile of my own, hands tucking themselves into my hoodie pockets.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± I said simply. ¡°Whenever you want to talk, I¡¯ll be here.¡±

    Burgh acknowledged my words with a grateful dip of his head. It was as he was making himself more comfortable on the bench that he finally threw back a question of his own.

    ¡°What about you? Why did you become a Bug Specialist?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t too surprised. I¡¯d half seen it coming given the direction our conversation had taken.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I paused, humming out loud in thought. My gaze eventually drifted to the Castelia skyline. ¡°I¡¯ve always had a special connection with Bugs.¡±

    That was a bit of an understatement, but I moved on. ¡°It¡¯s not always easy living in a big city like Castelia. My family had trouble making ends meet. Even though they always told me not to worry, I worried anyway. Every day was a brand new struggle of its own with seemingly no end in sight. My whole life has kind of been like that, actually. That¡¯s why Bugs resonate with me.¡±

    I smiled softly to myself.

    ¡°Bugs can have short and limited lifespans. In spite of that, or precisely because of that, they¡¯re tenacious. They struggle. They fight. They do everything in their power to survive because they have the will to live and make the most of their time. They can survive almost anything and even thrive anywhere. We¡¯re a bit alike in how we both find Bugs beautiful. For me, what I find most beautiful of all is their resilience.¡±

    Burgh¡¯s eyes glistened.

    ¡°It¡¯s remarkable how no two Specialists ever think exactly alike, huh?¡± he murmured. ¡°Very eloquently put, Kayden. I¡¯m honored to walk the same path as someone like you.¡±

    I shot him an incredulous look. That was the best compliment you could get from a fellow Specialist, especially someone who used to be an active Gym Leader.

    ¡°I could say the same to you. I wish more people appreciated Bug type Pokemon like we do,¡± I sighed.

    ¡°If only,¡± the man next to me agreed with a wry smile.

    Our current topic made me recall what I¡¯d heard from him the day before and things I¡¯d gathered from online. I quickly opened my mouth again.

    ¡°Do you know who¡¯s going to take over the Castelia Gym now that you¡¯ve stepped down?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°No,¡± Burgh confessed. ¡°I left it up to Alder since I hadn¡¯t trained anyone to be my successor. The public has their eyes on him and the League now for who they¡¯ll choose.¡±

    ¡°I heard that they¡¯re deciding between an old Gym Leader and a retired Elite Four member.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the most likely candidates at the moment, yes. Although¡­¡± Burgh¡¯s brows scrunched. ¡°While I am not allowed to divulge names, I can still tell you a bit. The Gym Leader you¡¯re referring to was nominated by Alder, but I fear he will most likely decline any offer sent his way. He¡¯s content living out his old age in retirement. The Elite Four member on the other hand¡­¡±

    Here, Burgh¡¯s brows knitted themselves together even further. It was the most troubled I¡¯d seen him, and that was saying something considering how haggard he already looked on a day-to-day basis.

    ¡°They were nominated by the civilian side of our government. When you take that information and combine it with the fact that this Elite Four member initially served the previous Champion, well¡­ I don¡¯t wish to get too deep into politics, but it¡¯s obvious the civilian government is trying to gain any edge they can. They don¡¯t have much leeway in the League right now.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem all that fond of that former Elite Four member,¡± I remarked. His face had his feelings written all over it.

    ¡°If you can keep a secret¡­ no, I¡¯m not. The Unova Gym Leaders strive to uphold the ideals of our nation, but she¡¯s¡­ very rigid to say the least.¡± Burgh ran a hand tiredly down his face. ¡°It¡¯s a tricky situation for Alder right now. He has enough people to vote his candidate into office, but if that candidate doesn¡¯t want the position, then it¡¯s meaningless. He might have to appoint the civilian side¡¯s candidate if only to make sure we have a strong trainer as part of our national defenses. But¡­ then he¡¯d have to deal with having a little thorn in his side. Most of the League supports Alder already, but letting someone from the opposition be a Gym Leader would not be ideal. Each Gym Leader holds a lot of power, part of which includes the ability to help govern entire cities and towns.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s more important than usual because it involves the capital of the country,¡± I finished with a look of realization.

    Burgh nodded. ¡°Precisely. Castelia¡¯s the symbol of Unova and home to millions of people. It¡¯s a huge responsibility to safeguard such a large city. That¡¯s partly why it¡¯s taking the League so long to decide on who should take over. They need someone strong, but it also needs to be someone whose mindset aligns with the ideals we currently pursue. The Elite Four member only fits one of those criteria, and it¡¯s not the second.¡±

    Burgh¡¯s grim words made it clear the power struggle between the League and the civilian side of our government was still going full throttle. It would never truly end, but each side persisted. They held onto as much influence as they could to make their respective ideals a reality during their lifetimes.

    It made me wonder what the Twin Heroes would think of present-day Unova if they were still around.

    Since Burgh looked like the political talk was tiring him out, I veered back into lighter territory again. ¡°What¡¯s being a Gym Leader like? Or¡­ your personal experience of it I guess.¡±

    ¡°Tiring,¡± Burgh instantly replied, but the smile he paired that single word with suggested otherwise. ¡°Countless young and aspiring trainers aim for the Vertress Conference every year, and they all flock to Castelia in droves. To be an inspiration for them¡­ to hopefully impart knowledge and newfound appreciation of the craft you¡¯ve honed for years¡­ it¡¯s tiring yet incredibly rewarding, Kayden. I know not everyone walked away from my Gym liking Bugs, but I still felt proud back then knowing I at least made an impact on some of them.¡±

    He waved a hand through the air energetically.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just about helping trainers either but Castelia itself. At the risk of sounding ¡®cheesy,¡¯ I endeavored to make myself and the Gym symbols the locals could take pride in, to unite people from all walks of life in a common love for Pokemon and the spirit of battling¡­¡±

    It was nice seeing Burgh light up instead of being glum, but a strange feeling wormed its way into my chest at the same time. I struggled a bit to identify what it was. Halfway through Burgh¡¯s long-winded rambling, I finally figured it out.

    I felt a little envious of all things.

    The way Burgh talked so animatedly about his former career reminded me of how Hayden had proudly told me about his work at the Unova Liberty Center. Then and now, I was in the company of someone who was happy with the things they¡¯d accomplished. Both Burgh and Hayden had lived meaningful, fulfilling lives so far with specific goals in mind.

    They looked content. It made me wonder¡­

    What was it like?

    Over the next two hours, Burgh and I took turns sharing bits of our lives. He would share anecdotes and memories from his Gym Leader years while I recounted my adventures around the world. There were so many instances where he interjected and asked curious, almost eager questions about the people and places I¡¯d seen. He seemed quite interested, so I didn¡¯t mind all the interruptions.

    Toward the end of our conversation, I told him something I¡¯d wanted to get off my chest from the very first meeting.

    ¡°Burgh.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you yet. I¡¯m an Ability Holder.¡±

    The man sitting next to me didn¡¯t blink.

    ¡°How wonderful.¡±

    I barked out a laugh. No words could describe how happy I felt from the casual and almost indifferent compliment Burgh handed out. If only people had reacted like that twenty years ago¡­

    But the past could not be changed. We had to walk in the present.

    I eventually said goodbye to Burgh for the evening with, once again, another promise to visit. As I headed back to my hotel now, it was with a clearer head than I¡¯d had going into my conversation with Burgh. I¡¯d had time to think while chatting with him.

    There was just one more person I really wanted to speak to.

    <hr>

    Ring. Ring¡ª

    Dad picked up nearly instantly like I thought he would.

    ¡°Kayden?¡± his voice drifted from the other end of the phone. I held it close to my ear. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    The confusion I heard in his voice was understandable. It was nowhere close to our next bi-weekly check-in, and he¡¯d probably thought I was busy traveling around a new region like usual.

    ¡°Did you know?¡± I asked him instead of the greeting he expected. My voice was level, but it didn¡¯t remain that way for long.

    ¡°Know what?¡±

    ¡°About Unova. Alder and¡ª and the League and civilian government being at odds with each other, the opposing parties¡ª all of that. Were you aware of everything? Is that why you eventually forgave the League?¡±

    The more I spoke, the faster and faster my words came out. They didn¡¯t drip with accusation but the sheer desire to understand instead.

    ¡°Is that why you encouraged me to visit Unova?¡±

    Silence followed my heavy question, a long one.

    After what felt like an eternity¡ª

    ¡°Yes. I was aware of everything,¡± Dad finally confessed. ¡°While you traveled, I even kept up with Unova political news on my own.¡±

    I knew it. A suspicion had started to form in me ever since my initial conversation with Hayden. I¡¯d also seen dad occasionally hiding newspapers when I came back home early from trips, but I hadn¡¯t thought too much of it over the years.

    I closed my eyes.

    ¡°I spent two decades resenting the Unova League and government, dad. Why¡­ Why didn¡¯t you ever tell me?¡±

    ¡°Would it have changed anything if I did?¡± came dad¡¯s gentle reply. ¡°You were hurting. You didn¡¯t care about Unova to the point where it was a taboo topic around the house. You shut your heart out. Even if I¡¯d tried explaining things to you, you still wouldn¡¯t have cared. All you knew was what you experienced firsthand.¡±

    I opened my mouth to counter, but no words ever came out.

    He¡­ he was right. I wouldn¡¯t have cared, especially not when I was younger. I probably would have cut dad off after three or four words.

    I¡¯d needed someone to be mad at, someone to take all my anger and negative feelings because I didn¡¯t know what else to do with them. I wouldn¡¯t have known how to proceed with my life otherwise.

    ¡°When you were angry, I let you be. When you said you wanted to travel, I let you go,¡± Dad continued in a patient voice. ¡°I¡¯ve never once tried to stop you from doing whatever you thought was right because it¡¯s always been YOU, son. It¡¯s your life and your feelings. You get to decide what to do with them. Only you know the best path forward.¡±

    Dad had told me the same thing I¡¯d wanted to tell people who talked bad about Burgh.

    Only I knew what was best for myself.

    ¡°I just¡ª I just¡­¡± I struggled to form a coherent sentence. With a sigh, I let my head fall back against the wall. ¡°Now that I know the full context behind everything, I feel kind of ashamed.¡±

    A mental image of Hayden protesting for Ability Holder rights in the middle of a crowd appeared in my mind. So did an image of Burgh fighting with Alder and their allies against the old administration.

    ¡°While I closed my eyes in regard to Unova and traveled the world, people here were fighting for what they believed in. They worked their asses off so that Ability Holders ¡ª people like me ¡ª would no longer be seen as people to fear. Meanwhile, what did I do? I lived in ignorance while resenting the wrong people the whole time.¡±

    ¡°You were young, Kayden, and they did you great wrong,¡± Dad replied softly. ¡°Everything Unova has done over the years? Those are all things that should have happened sooner rather than later. You and other Ability Holders deserve all the rightful changes they¡¯ve made. They owe this much to you.¡±

    My fist clenched as Burgh¡¯s words came to mind.

    We owe it to ourselves, to those who were hurt, and to those who could get hurt in the future.

    They owed it to us, but I wanted to tell dad that I should have owed it to myself to fight for my own rights. That chance had been robbed from me.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful, but I¡¯m still angry,¡± I said out loud instead. A bitter laugh escaped my throat. ¡°At least I know now who the real assholes are.¡±

    ¡°Son¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you, dad,¡± I interrupted gently. ¡°I¡¯m actually really glad you waited this long to bring up Unova with me. I¡¯ve had years to travel the world and experience lots of different things. I¡¯m old enough now that I can think and process things in ways I couldn¡¯t before as a kid.¡±

    ¡°¡­Just know I¡¯m always a phone call away, alright? I¡¯m here if you want to talk about anything, anything at all.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what we¡¯re doing right now?¡± I cheekily quipped back.

    Peals of laughter burst forth from the device in my hand.

    We put a pause on the grim conversation there. Dad had already had an inkling from our conversation, but I clarified for him that yes, I was back in Castelia. He got so excited once I confirmed it and bombarded me with questions about the city and what had changed. After all, he, too, had not been back to Castelia once since my exile. He could have gone back to visit any time, but he¡¯d always been resistant to the idea since I wouldn¡¯t be able to tag along. Dad had always been considerate of me.

    ¡°It¡¯s so much cleaner, dad, it¡¯s crazy,¡± I said at some point, waving my hands through the air even though dad couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Oh! And you know that deli we used to go to sometimes? It¡¯s still there. The owner¡¯s son took over.¡±

    ¡°Really?! I loved that place. Their sandwiches were the best¡­¡± Dad sighed wistfully. ¡°Well, it sounds like you¡¯ve been having fun. I¡¯m glad.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed with a smile. I pushed myself away from the wall and toward my bed, letting myself flop onto the soft bedding back-first. ¡°More than I expected, but it¡¯s weird.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°I actually ran into another member from the IBC today. They wanted to battle and, well, you know how I am. You¡¯re probably thinking I immediately agreed.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess: you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Battling is one of the things I love best, but I haven¡¯t felt very enthusiastic about it lately. It¡¯s not just today, either. I felt this way when we called a few nights ago and several times across the last year¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me.¡±

    ¡°Do you want my honest opinion, Kayden? Or are you just looking to rant?¡±

    ¡°Opinion please. I might be an adult now, but I still need the intuitive power of a dad.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    I waited patiently for dad to finish laughing.

    ¡°You remember when I asked you if you were happy with your current lifestyle?¡± Dad reminded me, slipping back into a more pensive persona.

    ¡°Uh huh.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you noticed it yourself, but you seemed hesitant. Constantly traveling the world, trying new hobbies, fighting every trainer you come across¡­ you¡¯ve been keeping yourself busy, maybe too busy. I know your philosophy has always been to live life to the fullest, but¡­ hmm. What¡¯s that one saying you like again? The one you learned from the locals of Otonoki Village or whatever that remote place was called.¡±

    ¡°¡®All good men die eventually, but it''s the life we live that defines us,¡¯¡± I faithfully recited without missing a beat. I absolutely loved that quote.

    ¡°Yes! That one. It fits with what I want to say. You¡¯ve spent years trying to make every moment count¡­ Have you thought that maybe you¡¯ve been searching for something more fulfilling this whole time? What kind of life do you want to live, Kayden? What is it that you really want to do? I think those are questions worth thinking about at this stage in your life. Knowing you, you¡¯ll probably manage to reignite your passion for battling among other things.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I was deep in thought long after I ended the phone call with dad an hour later. My conversation with him had been very helpful.

    It was a little scary to admit, but¡­ maybe dad was right. This wasn¡¯t a simple case of burnout from battling too much and getting bored like I¡¯d initially thought. This issue ran a little deeper.

    What kind of life did I want to live?

    Well, my biggest goal had been achieved already.

    I¡¯d honed my craft as a Bug Specialist. For a good part of my trainer career, I¡¯d been hyper-focused on helping my Pokemon get stronger. It had consumed my whole being when I was younger because I was terrified they¡¯d die early if I didn¡¯t do a good enough job. I didn¡¯t have to worry about that too much anymore considering the heights we¡¯d reached, so that was one fear off my chest.

    As for traveling¡­ My Pokemon and I enjoyed meeting new people and visiting places, some so breathtaking that they seemed like they were right out of fairy tales. Along the way, we lived off the thrill of beating up any and all trainers and proving our strength. All of it was fun, and yet¡­

    Could I keep doing it forever? Could I look back on my life on my deathbed one day and say I was truly satisfied with it?

    In a sobering moment, I realized I couldn¡¯t.

    As much fun as traveling was, I was admittedly a little tired of constantly going everywhere and doing everything. I felt like I¡¯d be okay settling down somewhere now. That didn¡¯t mean I regretted everything I¡¯d done thus far in my life, though. Far from it. All the memories and experiences I had, both the good and the bad, had shaped me into who I was today.

    But thanks to dad giving me a nudge, I was starting to realize I wanted to do a little more with my life.

    I wanted to be like Hayden and Burgh, to do something in my life that could impact the world and influence others in positive ways¡­ to find something that called to me and gave my life true meaning. Something I could take pride in until the day I died¡­ a legacy that I could leave behind for future generations to remember.

    Probably a little too ambitious, but maybe something meaningful like that. I considered it a good start to pondering over the big questions dad had thrown me at least.

    Satisfied, I got ready for bed. This vacation wasn¡¯t going to enjoy itself.

    <hr>

    Three days passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, I settled into a certain daily routine.

    In between sightseeing, I spent the mornings and afternoons talking to random strangers with my hoodie covering my face. I¡¯d ask them how they felt about Ability Holders as part of personal research I was conducting. I might have gotten a rundown of how things had changed in Unova from Hayden, but I also wanted to see how public perception had changed for myself.

    The responses I got were a wide, wide mix.

    ¡°Ability Holders? They¡¯re pretty neat! I wish I had a special power of my own. It¡¯d be really awesome if I got one that could help me write essays faster.¡±

    ¡°Bah, the League shouldn¡¯t be welcoming them with open arms. They¡¯re unpredictable. We had that incident twelve¡ª no wait, was it thirteen years ago? Can¡¯t remember, but some Ability Holder in hiding robbed a bank in Nimbasa and killed three people.¡±

    ¡°An Ability Holder saved my cousin before from a stampede of Bouffalant. Certain politicians can kiss my ass. They paint them as dangerous individuals, but that¡¯s not the case at all.¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­ they¡¯re still humans like us, right? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to fear them all just because of the notorious history of a few. That¡¯s what Burgh always said.¡±

    Those were just a few of the answers I got. I noticed the younger generation was more likely to say positive or neutral things about them compared to older folks, those who remembered actual incidents Ability Holders had caused during their lifetimes. Not too surprising. Overall, public reception leaned toward the positive end.

    I also noted that many people¡¯s opinions were influenced by the drivel politicians spouted. The civilian side of the government had doubled down on efforts in recent years to try and reverse everything Alder and his side had achieved.

    Slimy little bastards.

    While my daylight hours were spent busily walking up and down Castelia, I enjoyed quiet evenings at the pier with Burgh.

    There were times where we didn¡¯t chat at all and sat there in silence. When we did talk, our conversations generally spanned a wide range of topics, everything from cooking recipes to deeper topics like philosophy or battling strategies. I was content to discuss whatever Burgh was in the mood to talk about.

    It was on day five of my trip when he brought up his Leavanny for the first time.

    ¡°I found a box of old VHS tapes while cleaning out my gym office today,¡± Burgh told me. His eyes misted over with nostalgia. ¡°I watched them, of course. There was one of Vania where she helped the gym Pokemon train. The memories it brought back¡­¡±

    He¡¯d never had the heart to bring up his deceased partner again after our initial meeting. I took this as a good sign.

    ¡°What was she like?¡± I asked gently.

    The man next to me clasped trembling hands together on his lap, but he smiled. ¡°Vania was kind. She had a habit of being like a sort of mother for the gym Pokemon. Every morning and night, she would make her rounds and ask everyone how they were faring¡­¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the last time Burgh spoke to me about his Pokemon. In the days and chats that followed, he willingly brought up his starter more in conversation. He was opening up his heart once again to me and the rest of the world.

    Together, we celebrated the memories and life of Vania the Leavanny.

    When I finally got back to my hotel suite at the end of each day, I¡¯d stay up late to do research online. I read up on new laws. I caught up on past and current events. I¡¯d scroll through social media platforms and monitor the Castelia Gym situation since it interested me.

    The League stayed silent. Candidates were still being considered.

    On the morning of my sixth and second to last day in Castelia, the situation finally changed.

    I shoved the last bite of my toasted bread into my mouth and stared down at the screen of my phone.

    ¡®ELIJAH MEISARCH REVEALED AS CANDIDATE, TURNS DOWN CASTELIA GYM LEADER NOMINATION¡¯ was what I read.

    Burgh¡¯s premonition turned out to be right. The retired Gym Leader nominated by Alder had ultimately turned down the official offer sent his way, and now the League was scrambling to find someone else they wanted for the position. The other candidates they had their eye on weren¡¯t as strong as the retired Elite Four member endorsed by the civilian side of the government.

    It was looking more and more like the wrong people would sink their fangs into Castelia, and that left me with a very unpleasant feeling.

    I made a note to bring the news up with Burgh as part of our evening conversation later. Surely he¡¯d have some sort of opinion on it, and I wanted to hear what he thought.

    For now, I got ready for the day ahead.

    There was no talking to random strangers today on the streets of Castelia. I wasn¡¯t in the mood for it after seeing the news this morning. Instead, I tried to focus on having fun with my Pokemon. We spent the better half of the day at Eli Park.

    In the afternoon, we switched locations and trudged through the streets of Lower Castelia. Galvantula stayed by my side while we explored random neighborhoods and stores. As we walked, a small desire gradually surfaced within me. It was one I¡¯d thought about a lot over the years, but it was now that I could actually entertain it.

    My aimless wandering abruptly turned into purposeful steps.

    Through a maze of streets I went without my phone to guide me. I didn¡¯t need it. I knew where to go even after twenty years. I turned corners, wove through sidewalks crowded with pedestrians, and made my way deeper into Lower Castelia.

    Sleek and modern buildings eventually gave way to older and rundown ones. Graffiti splashed their facades and the cracked sidewalks with color and sometimes vulgar messages. Less people walked by for every block I passed, but I paid them no heed.

    My feet traveled well-worn concrete in a familiar path. As we approached a certain street, my heartbeat sped up. I turned the corner¡ª

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    I¡¯d sometimes dreamed about the place where I used to live with dad, Berry, and¡­ someone else. A part of me had yearned to see it again someday.

    Unfortunately, our old apartment wasn''t there anymore.

    The whole building was gone. So were a few others on that side of the street. What filled my gaze now was a stretch of desolate land filled with weeds, broken rubble, and a crap ton of trash. A quick Zoogle search on my phone revealed they¡¯d torn down buildings in this area years ago to make room for a shopping center, but the project had fallen through.

    Only abandoned property was left.

    Disappointment filled me. Just a little. I walked further down the street to where I estimated our apartment unit used to be, and then I stood in that spot. I craned my neck and looked up at empty air.

    I stood there for a long time, long enough that Galvantula eventually nudged my leg and let out a series of clicking sounds. She asked if I was alright.

    I nodded, but I didn¡¯t look away from the sky. ¡°This is where I used to live, Tula.¡±

    The spider perked up at that. Slowly, she rotated in place so that she faced the abandoned field like me. Curiosity emanated from her in waves. I¡¯d told all my Pokemon stories about my childhood before and even shared memories through the Sterling Network¡­ I just found it a shame I couldn¡¯t show them around in person.

    In my mind¡¯s eye, I saw the rundown apartment we used to live in.

    The door whose hinges needed to be constantly replaced¡­ The rotten floorboards that constantly creaked and groaned under the slightest weight¡­ The moldy wallpaper full of questionable stains and cracks in the walls¡­

    I imagined child me sitting in the cramped space that was my bedroom. Dad and¡­ the woman we lived with had given me the biggest room and taken the smallest one for themselves.

    I imagined child me diligently doing my homework while Berry crawled around on my desk. I saw myself walking over to the window to take a break, resting my head on the windowsill while I watched people and cars pass by below.

    Like I¡¯d told Burgh, living in Castelia wasn¡¯t always easy.

    I was able to bear it back then because of my family. So long as dad and Berry were with me, I was happy. We were happy. We struggled, sure, but we struggled together. I¡¯d had a pleasant childhood all things considered. I wouldn¡¯t have changed anything about it for the world.

    Twenty years later, I was back here as an adult. I¡¯d come so far since then.

    I¡¯d struggled, fought, and clawed my way up to the top, to prove to myself and to Unova that I could make it in this world. I was a powerful trainer and Bug Specialist now, and dad and I didn¡¯t have to worry about money anymore. I¡¯d made sure of it.

    So why did I still feel like I was at the bottom of a hole sometimes?

    I stayed there a little longer to gaze at empty space. I even got a few weird looks from people leaving their apartments down the block, but I stared until I had my fill.

    Then, quietly, I turned and walked away without another glance back.

    We left the shady neighborhood behind for a safer one. There was a suspicious-looking passerby who eyed my bag, but a hiss from Galvantula made him wisely turn away. You didn¡¯t want to mess with a trainer and their highly skilled Pokemon.

    Somewhere else in Lower Castelia, I bought drinks for me and Galvantula ¡ª two mango milk teas ¡ª and took us to a public park nearby. It was small, but it was quaint. It even had a playground area further back for kids. I used to come here in my childhood with dad.

    I was halfway through my drink when a scrawny kid ran up to our bench. He couldn¡¯t have been older than seven at most.

    ¡°Can I play with your Galvantula?¡± was the first thing out of his mouth. How blunt. Were all kids these days so unafraid of strangers?

    I looked at his excited expression, then dragged my gaze up and over his head in search of a certain figure. Yep. There was a lady back there looking around for where her son had run off to.

    ¡°You should probably ask your mom first, kid,¡± I gently reminded him.

    He blinked three times. ¡°Oh!¡±

    The kid immediately dashed all the way back to his mom. The park was quiet enough that I could hear him ask for permission even from this distance. I saw the mom glance up and look at me first before she gave the okay.

    Much to my amusement, the kid ran back to me like a speeding Sharpedo.

    ¡°Can I play with your Pokemon now?¡± he asked again in a breathless voice.

    I tried not to laugh. ¡°You should probably ask her instead of me.¡±

    And for the second time, the kid let out an emphatic oh. Funny kid. He did listen to me, though, and asked Galvantula for permission.

    She had a soft spot for children and was more than happy to oblige. For the next fifteen minutes, I dealt with loud laughter and whoops echoing in my ears as the kid played tag with Galvantula around the park.

    Eventually, he tired himself out and had to be ferried back to my bench. He plopped onto the seat next to me.

    ¡°Your Galvantula is bigger than Burgh¡¯s, mister!¡± he said with a bright, toothy grin.

    I raised a brow at him. ¡°And how do you know that?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cuz my mom took me to see gym matches! I sat in the front once and got to see his Galvantula up close,¡± he bragged. ¡°Bugs are the coolest.¡±

    ¡°You like Bugs?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! They can run fast, fly through the air, and beat up Pokemon bigger than them.¡±

    My lips quirked upwards into a smile. ¡°Heh. You have good taste.¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡± he beamed at me, but then he deflated like a balloon that had been popped. ¡°I was supposed to hang out with my friends today, but we got into an argument. They said Bugs are gross and weak. I mean, yeah, Dragon and Fire types are cool, but so are Bugs!¡±

    ¡°You should show them videos of Burgh fighting trainers then. Maybe they haven¡¯t seen what they can really do yet,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°I already tried,¡± the boy sighed. ¡°They didn¡¯t want to watch. I wanted to take them to the gym to see a live match instead, but mom told me the gym¡¯s closed. Burgh¡¯s not gonna be Gym Leader anymore.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Unfortunate timing on the kid¡¯s part.

    ¡°I asked mom who the next Gym Leader is gonna be, but she said she didn¡¯t know. Do you know? Do you think they¡¯ll use Bugs, too?¡±

    I wavered a bit on the inside when I saw his hopeful eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but you never know. They might use Bugs,¡± I finally said. ¡°Maybe you can go watch a match with your friends then.¡±

    He kicked his legs back and forth excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I want to be a Bug Specialist someday, so I gotta watch as many matches as possible to learn what I can. I¡¯m studying really hard in school right now. Mom said if I get good enough grades, she¡¯ll let me join the Castelia Trainer Academy.¡±

    I stared at him. ¡°You want to be a Bug Specialist?¡±

    He gave me a grave nod and a serious expression to go with it. ¡°Uh huh. I want to be like Burgh. He helps small Bugs get bigger and stronger. He¡¯s also nice to everyone, and he teaches his Pokemon how to fight while looking cool. Someday, I¡¯m gonna be a trainer like him. I¡¯m even going to raise a strong Leavanny like Vania!¡±

    ¡­Okay, that was actually really touching.

    ¡°You wanna know a secret?¡± I suddenly asked. The boy looked at me with confusion but nodded. So, I leaned in and raised two brows in an exaggerated way. I whispered, ¡°I¡¯m friends with Burgh. I¡¯ll let him know you said that about him if you want.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± he said instantly, but his eyes were wide.

    ¡°Nuh uh. I¡¯m a Bug Specialist, too. We¡¯re really friends,¡± I shot back with a grin.

    He studied me for a moment with narrowed eyes, then¡ª

    ¡°Okay, tell him I said hi then and that I think he¡¯s really cool and that I¡¯m gonna come find him when I¡¯m older for a match¡ª¡±

    He prattled on excitedly in a single breath, all suspicions gone in the wind. I nearly snorted out loud. Kids could be fairly cute and amusing when they wanted to be.

    ¡°Ben!¡± a woman¡¯s voice called in the middle of his rambling. It was his mom. She waved for her son to come over.

    ¡°Oh, mom¡¯s calling me. Bye, mister! Bye, Galvantula! Thanks for letting me play with you! Don¡¯t forget to do what you promised!¡± the boy named Ben grinned at us, waved hastily, and then barrelled toward his mom. He almost tripped on the way over. I heard his mom scolding him in an affectionate tone as they left the park.

    I watched them go with a heart torn between fondness and sadness.

    Burgh might have retired, but he¡¯d left a lasting impact on people. I¡¯d met one of them today, and¡­

    The way Gym Leaders could inspire the people around them stirred my heart in a way I hadn¡¯t known was possible.

    Thump.

    <hr>

    That evening, I was right on time for my daily chat with Burgh and fast approaching the usual place. I raised a hand in greeting¡ª

    ¡ªand abruptly halted.

    Burgh wasn¡¯t alone at the bench today. There was an Orbeetle hovering in the air around him as well as a psychic barrier. As for the man himself, he was on the phone. Judging by the tired expression on his face as his lips formed inaudible words, it probably wasn¡¯t a happy conversation.

    He was done talking by the time I approached the bench. When Burgh saw me, he said something to his Orbeetle with a smile and recalled the Pokemon. The psychic barrier disappeared as if it had never been there.

    ¡°Everything okay?¡± I asked cautiously, taking a seat next to him.

    Burgh looked like he wanted to feign a smile for a moment but ultimately decided against it. A long sigh escaped him as he leaned back.

    ¡°They asked me to come back and be the Castelia Gym Leader again,¡± he admitted with a voice full of exasperation. When I stared at him in disbelief, he quickly elaborated. ¡°Not Alder. He already accepted and respected my decision a month ago. The call was from some League officials who support him.¡±

    ¡°Is it because they¡¯re running out of options now that their top choice, Elijah Meisarch, declined?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°Ah, so you already heard the news,¡± Burgh sighed once more. ¡°Indeed. They really do not want to appoint the civilian side¡¯s candidate if possible. Still, to ask me to come back, it¡¯s¡ª it¡¯s¡ª¡±

    He broke off, panting.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I really can¡¯t. My mind, it¡¯s¡ª it¡¯s still a mess. I haven¡¯t figured anything out yet, I¡¯m still overwhelmed, I¡­¡±

    I stayed silent and watched as Burgh closed his eyes, breathing in and out in a long-practiced rhythm. When he felt calm enough again to speak, he opened them.

    ¡°I apologize. I¡¯m a tad more stressed than usual because of the Castelia Gym succession issue,¡± he muttered.

    I was quick to shake my head.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I understand that it¡¯s a pretty important issue,¡± I reassured him. Now that I was looking more closely, Burgh¡¯s eyes looked more bloodshot than normal. Was he getting enough sleep?

    ¡°It is. It might be selfish of me to say this given my inability to help, but I hope for the Castelia Gym to end up in good hands,¡± Burgh replied in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°It will,¡± I told him, hoping my words wouldn¡¯t turn out hollow. ¡°It surely will. They¡¯ll find someone other than that Elite Four member.¡±

    Burgh didn¡¯t look convinced, but he smiled anyway. I decided this was as good of a moment as any to tell him about my little encounter today. Arceus knew he needed a pick-me-up right now.

    ¡°Burgh, I met a kid named Ben today¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t leave a single detail out. I told him everything: the fact that this kid wanted to be a Bug Specialist, that he admired Burgh and Bug types, that he wanted to raise a Leavanny¡­ everything.

    I don¡¯t know what I expected when I finished recounting the tale.

    Maybe I thought Burgh would smile.

    Maybe I thought he would laugh.

    It was neither.

    Burgh broke down sobbing. He buried his face in his hands and slumped forward, crying his heart out. I was worried but only for a fleeting moment.

    Those weren¡¯t tears of sorrow but indescribable joy.

    ¡°I wish I could tell Vania¡­ we inspired even a child like Ben¡­¡± he managed to choke out. ¡°I¡­ I couldn¡¯t be prouder than how I feel right now¡­¡±

    My heart clenched as he wept into the long, long night.

    <hr>

    Burgh and I didn¡¯t talk more after that. I just sat there with him as he sniffed and wiped away any remaining tears, but the poignant silence was an entire conversation of its own. It was another step on the path to healing. We stayed there until it was close to midnight.

    When I finally said goodbye to him for the day, I didn¡¯t head back to the hotel like usual.

    Rune took flight in the sky with me on his back. Past the piers, past Lower Castelia, past countless buildings¡ª

    He flew ever onward to a magnificent suspension bridge in the east, the largest in the country: Skyarrow Bridge.

    Many bridges existed in Unova, and there was a reason for it. Architects had designed them beyond being simple means of transportation. They were physical representations of the ideals of our nation and symbols of what we stood for. They connected people, cultures, hopes, goals¡ª everything that made Unova diverse and beautiful. They united cities and towns around the region as one: a single country where people were free to live as they pleased.

    And now, as we approached the one that linked Castelia to another part of the mainland, I found myself deep in thought about my own life.

    Trucks, cars, and bright yellow taxis blipped past on lanes far below, but they grew larger as Rune slowly descended. He dropped me off at a point about halfway into the pedestrian walkway. I could hear faint wind rushing past from vehicles down on the lower level. At this time of night, most people were home sleeping and getting ready for the next day of their lives.

    It was just me and Rune here.

    Together, we shifted our bodies so that we faced the direction of the city. Like I¡¯d said before¡­ the Castelia skyline had always remained the most striking to me, and never more so than at night.

    The skyscrapers that seemed so intimidating during the day had transformed into gentle silhouettes and beacons of hope. They reflected a million different lights, a sea of stars far closer than the one in the sky and one that humans could actually reach. Every light and every glow symbolized a person, a story, and a life someone had lived deep within those concrete walls. Out on open waters, those lights mixed with the glimmer of ships coming back home.

    It was magical, and it was alive. Castelia was not simply a concrete jungle but a living, breathing being that housed the hopes and dreams of millions of people. As much as it could discourage, it also nourished them.

    Burgh and his predecessors had dedicated their lives and careers to making sure Castelia, and by extension Unova, kept their ways of life and freedom to dream.

    Someone had to carry on the torch and keep their ideals alive.

    ¡°I only got to show you this sight once before we left Unova, huh?¡± I mused out loud, interrupting my own thoughts.

    Rune rumbled softly in agreement. We¡¯d had to pack quickly and leave the country back then, so there hadn¡¯t been any time to show him around.

    ¡°I missed this place more than I realized,¡± I went on. ¡°So much and yet so little has changed in Castelia, but it still feels like home to me. It¡¯s almost like twenty years haven¡¯t passed at all, but you and I both know better. We experienced everything that happened in between together. All the struggles¡­ all the hardships¡­¡±

    I leaned against the railing, turning slightly to look at him. ¡°All those struggles ¡ª the life we¡¯ve lived so far ¡ª guided us back here.¡±

    Unova, the land where I was born and raised.

    Unova, the land I had been exiled from.

    And now it was Unova, the land I had rightfully returned to.

    Anger still burned within me, but it was high time I did something with it now that I knew truths I did not know before. I wanted to channel it into something meaningful and use it as fuel for my own future.

    The wind caressed my cheeks and hair. Excitement and anxiety coursed through my body in equal parts as I inhaled deeply. I¡¯d asked Rune to take us here so we could talk about something important, something that was probably and irrevocably going to change the course of our lives forever.

    I knew I was on the right track because when I thought about the idea that had slowly wormed its way into both my heart and mind, it sent shivers through my body. I even felt excited about battling in general again.

    ¡°Rune. There¡¯s something that¡¯s been on my mind this past week, an ambition that¡¯s taken root within me. I think it¡¯s something I want to try pursuing, but I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll all feel about it¡ª¡±

    I snapped my mouth shut when the air bloomed with warmth. Rune had rapidly beat his wings twice to get me to stop talking, and faint embers now flew through the air like fireflies.

    Blue eyes stared into mine as he buzzed with all the wisdom an oldest companion could give.

    He said he and the team would follow whatever I decided. They always had, and they always would. It was time I lived for myself now after spending years of my life helping them.

    We¡¯re not going to die anytime soon, he assured me. So do what you want instead of worrying about us.

    Just like dad, he told me only I knew the best path forward for myself.

    My eyes felt suspiciously moist.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    <hr>

    Against all odds and promises initially made to myself, I stayed well past a week in Castelia.

    I was pretty close with Burgh at this point. It helped that we were both Specialists with the same type specialty, but our personalities also meshed pretty well. He was like an older brother I¡¯d never known I had. I talked to him every single day without fail at the docks. He never cried again after that one night, but he looked increasingly better with every day that passed. I felt like something had changed within him.

    Since I¡¯d decided on something, I also dedicated a few days to getting shit together. I¡¯d reached out to contacts on my phone I hadn¡¯t talked to in literally years (some even up to a decade), made and redid papers I also hadn¡¯t touched in years, and formulated the beginnings of a conversation in my head. Two, really, if I managed to make it far enough.

    Finally, I believed I was ready.

    On the eleventh evening of my stay in Castelia, I headed for Liberty Pier with determined and purposeful strides. I had everything planned out for what I wanted to tell Burgh.

    All plans flew out the window when I got to our usual spot. Burgh¡¯s bench was empty.

    In all our time meeting, he¡¯d never not been there by the time I arrived. He hadn¡¯t even mentioned anything to me yesterday about a possible absence.

    I sat down on my own for now and waited.

    After an hour crawled by with Burgh still being a no-show, dread pooled in my stomach. I waited for another three hours and even walked up and down the pier at one point, but he never showed up.

    To say the least, I didn¡¯t sleep well that night. Every other hour, I woke up and checked my phone hoping not to see anything on the news.

    The next twenty plus hours weren¡¯t any better. I spent the whole day feeling jittery and practically ran down to Liberty Pier in the evening. The bench¡ª Burgh had to be there, he simply had to be¡ª

    A familiar figure sat there.

    The resulting wave of relief that flooded my entire body was immeasurable. I¡¯d never been more glad to see Burgh before.

    ¡°Burgh!¡± I shouted, jogging toward him. ¡°Jeez, you worried me when you didn¡¯t show up yesterday.¡±

    He stood up at the sound of my voice and turned to face me as I slid to a stop.

    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± Burgh apologized. To my surprise, his eyes looked full of life today. ¡°I decided on something yesterday and ran around all day taking care of various businesses, one of which was saying goodbye to people.¡±

    I froze, staring at him. ¡°Wait¡­ goodbye?¡±

    Burgh shocked me further with the next words that came out of his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to go traveling,¡± he announced in a resolute voice. The smile on his face was a large one. ¡°It was something I always wanted to do with Vania and my Pokemon when we were younger, but we never got the chance because I became Gym Leader so soon. I¡¯ve decided I¡¯d like to do it now. It¡¯ll give me time to grieve¡­ to heal¡­ and to figure out what I want to do from now on. Your travel stories were what gave me the last nudge.¡±

    He saw my shocked look and quickly held a hand up. ¡°I won¡¯t be gone forever. Probably no more than a year at most, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯d like to exchange phone numbers so we can keep in touch.¡±

    It was now my eyes finally caught sight of the suitcase and tote bag hidden behind his legs.

    He was¡­ serious. He was really leaving.

    ¡°Burgh, I¡­ I¡¯m happy for you,¡± I finally managed to say. I hoped I was conveying as much sincerity as I meant to. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯ve decided on, I can only root for you. Just promise you¡¯ll stay safe and send me updates on how you¡¯re doing.¡±

    Burgh smiled at me.

    ¡°I will. Kayden¡­ I know we haven¡¯t known each other for very long, but it already feels like I¡¯ve known you a lifetime. I¡¯m really grateful we were able to meet here in Castelia and become friends. I actually have something for you as a token of our friendship.¡±

    I watched curiously as he turned and lifted one handle of his tote bag. His free hand dug something out of it, and that something was passed over to me with a gentle smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first thing I managed to make ever since Vania died. I dedicate it to you,¡± he said softly.

    I stared down at the object in my trembling hands.

    He¡¯d given me a framed painting.

    It was small. The whole thing was no bigger than both my hands combined, but its size didn¡¯t matter.

    Streaks of amber, molten gold, and yellows as bright as sunflowers were reflected in my eyes. They swirled together in a single radiant mass that filled my chest with warmth and goodness. They were summer nights and new beginnings, budding life and happiness, and everything in between. I could even feel the intense emotion behind the brushstrokes, the passion that had been reignited ¡ª if only briefly ¡ª to breathe life into this creation.

    He¡¯d gifted me a painting of the Sun.

    It was an incredibly beautiful and meaningful gift, one that almost moved me to tears on the spot.

    ¡°Burgh¡­¡± I croaked out, voice thick with emotion. ¡°This is¡­ I don¡¯t even have the words for it. This means so much to me. Thank you, I¡¯ll treasure it forever.¡±

    Burgh¡¯s eyes glistened with unshed tears.

    ¡°No. Thank you, Kayden.¡±

    Phone numbers were swiftly exchanged. Burgh then grabbed his suitcase and tote bag in preparation for the journey ahead.

    ¡°I should probably get going now¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± I quickly blurted out. Burgh physically paused in place and stared at me. ¡°Sorry. I know this is a bit of bad timing, but there was something I wanted to tell you yesterday.¡±

    I took a deep breath to steady myself. All speech drafts and conversation outlines I¡¯d prepared days ago were thrown aside.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot lately,¡± I began, ¡°about what I want to do from now on as well. I¡¯ve lived my whole life drifting from place to place, but I think I was always searching for something more to do with my life.¡±

    I pointed in the direction of the city.

    ¡°Since coming back to Unova, I¡¯ve talked to all sorts of people and seen for myself how things have changed. Things are better now, I¡¯ll admit that, but there¡¯s a chance they won¡¯t stay that way. There¡¯s a chance everything could go to shit because of the actions of a few.¡±

    One of my hands clenched into a determined fist. My eyes bored into Burgh¡¯s.

    ¡°To forge a better future with our own hands. To have the courage to defend our rights, to pave a path of our own. To owe it to ourselves, to those who were hurt, and to those who could get hurt in the future. These are all things you told me before, Burgh. They resonated with me. They inspired me just like how you¡¯ve inspired countless others during your career.¡±

    My voice grew louder.

    ¡°I want to inspire people like you have, to show the beauty of Bugs and Ability Holders alike. I want to show the world and Unova that I¡¯m still here and always will be. I want to carve my own future and protect those of other Ability Holders so that they never have to fall down a path like I did. This is Unova, and we should always have the freedom to choose. Well, I choose what I want to do with MY life, and I want to do THIS now. I wish to lead by example and join the fight to make the ideals I pursue a reality.¡±

    All good men died eventually, but it was the life they lived that defined them.

    I wanted to live the kind without regrets.

    I wanted people to remember the name Kayden Sterling.

    Right now, my eyes burned gold as bright as the sun.

    ¡°If you¡¯d be willing to endorse me¡­ I wish to become the next Castelia Gym Leader.¡±

    Burgh stood there in utter and complete shock.

    He didn¡¯t move for a long time and stared at me with parted lips. Eventually, though, he snapped his mouth shut and looked between me and the luggage he carried.

    A hoarse but genuine chuckle left him.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯m rescheduling my flight.¡±

 Chapter 7

    CHAPTER 7

    The first thing Burgh did was send out his Orbeetle. A faint, shimmering dome of psychic energy instantly went up around us. It was hardly noticeable, but the main point of it was to keep sound blocked in. More people were starting to walk down Liberty Pier on evening strolls at this point.

    Now with a little more privacy, our important conversation was on track to continue.

    ¡°Kayden,¡± Burgh started, but then he stopped. His expression was one torn between wonder and curiosity as he struggled to form words. ¡°I admit¡­ having a Bug Specialist like you take over the Castelia Gym would be most ideal. I would be more than happy to endorse you based on your character and skill as a trainer alone, but being a Gym Leader is more than simply being strong¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I assured him. I felt Burgh¡¯s gaze on me sharpen as I reached into my bag and pulled out a small folder, one that was then offered to the man standing across from me. ¡°Trust me, I know. I¡¯ve listened to your experiences these past two weeks after all. I understand that I¡¯ll have to help kids grow as trainers, and I¡¯m ready to learn everything I need to. I do have some prior experience under my belt at least.¡±

    One of Burgh¡¯s brows rose as he accepted the folder from me and opened it. His other brow soon rose to join its kindred spirit.

    ¡°This is¡­¡± he trailed off. Green eyes moved rapidly across papers full of black-and-white text.

    I smiled sheepishly. ¡°Well¡­ no recent experience, but hopefully this helps persuade you even a little.¡±

    The folder I¡¯d given Burgh, the very one that he was currently perusing¡ª in it was a copy of my trainer profile, a resume I¡¯d updated after a whole decade, and as many reference letters as I¡¯d been able to cobble together in a short period of time.

    Back when I was still starting out as a trainer, I¡¯d quickly realized that the easiest way to get the strength and knowledge I wanted was to learn from more experienced Bug Specialists. I applied for internships and part-time jobs at various Bug type gyms I came across while traveling the world. I never stayed for longer than half a year anywhere, but it was enough time for me to sponge up what I wanted from different Bug Gym Leaders and their respective wells of expertise. At some point during my teenage years, I stopped gym-hopping and focused more on deepening my own understanding of the type as I knew it.

    Now here I was, dare I say it, as the greatest Bug Specialist in the world. Every Specialist had pride in the craft they¡¯d honed for years, and I was no different. I certainly had the skills to back up my confidence.

    Back to the folder in Burgh¡¯s hands. I hadn¡¯t been kidding when I said no recent experience. All of that had been years and years ago. During that period of gym-hopping, I¡¯d done everything from simple errands like cleaning floors to taking care of gym Pokemon or fighting challengers during gauntlets. I had more than a basic understanding of the inner workings of gym life, so I had a foundation to work off of¡­ albeit a dusty one.

    ¡°It gives me an edge over the retired Elite Four candidate, right?¡± I said out loud in a hopeful voice. ¡°Unless¡­ you¡¯re going to say something like how she used to be a Gym Leader.¡±

    Burgh shook his head in a slow and distracted manner. He was still reading. ¡°She wasn¡¯t.¡±

    Whew. I needed every advantage I could get if I wanted Burgh to endorse me. My prowess as a trainer was the biggest thing I could brag about, but like he¡¯d mentioned already, the work of a Gym Leader encompassed so much more.

    Since Burgh was still silently flipping through pages in the folder, I went ahead and filled the silence.

    ¡°I know this was really sudden to spring on you,¡± I began, ¡°and I realize I¡¯m far from a conventional candidate who¡¯s had formal training, but I can learn. I pick things up really fast even for a Bug Specialist. I can get myself ready by the fall¡ª no, in less than a month.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t an empty claim. Nowhere close. I understood my own capabilities the best, and I knew I could do this. I was more than willing to put in the work.

    ¡°If the Unova League needs someone to help guide and protect Castelia, then here¡¯s my application. I have the passion and strength needed for the role, and the determination to see it through.¡±

    My pitch ended there. I¡¯d said what I wanted to, and now everything depended on Burgh¡¯s decision. Like I¡¯d said earlier¡­ this was an application. I might have finally discovered something I really wanted to pursue in life, but I had to reach the starting line first.

    Cries from passing Wingull mixed with quiet murmurs from the sea. People passed by in a steady, indistinguishable stream, but I paid them no attention. I stood tall, relaxed, and with all the patience in the world. The whole time, Burgh remained engrossed in reading.

    He finished sooner than I thought he would. Thin fingers curled around the spine of the folder and snapped it shut. When he raised his head¡­

    The corners of his lips were stretched wide in the largest smile I¡¯d seen from him until now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay a little longer in the city to teach you,¡± Burgh announced.

    I hadn¡¯t been too nervous, but I still let out a breath I hadn¡¯t known I was holding. That meant¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ll endorse you as my chosen candidate for the next Castelia Gym Leader,¡± he helpfully finished, still smiling. ¡°If it¡¯s you, I think I could rest easy knowing the gym is in good hands.¡±

    That was a lot of trust he was giving, and it moved me greatly.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down,¡± I said instantly. ¡°You, me, the city, or Unova itself. I really want to do this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m well aware,¡± Burgh replied, a hint of mirth leaking through his voice. ¡°You said I motivated you, but I believe it¡¯s the other way around. Your initial speech was the most inspirational one I¡¯ve heard in years. I¡¯m willing to endorse you because I choose to trust in you¡­ you, and that passion you showed me.¡±

    I mumbled some unintelligible words, one hand scratching the back of my neck in embarrassment. Jeez¡­ Burgh was really putting me on the spot here. Luckily, he refocused on the matter at hand.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued, ¡°this is only the first step. I¡¯ll have to go back to my place and type up an official letter, then I¡¯ll need to send that and everything you gave me to Alder and¡ª¡± Burgh paused mid-sentence to stare at me. ¡°I imagine he¡¯ll want to meet with you before making a decision of his own. Assuming he¡¯s willing, I¡¯ll try to set up a meeting as soon as possible.¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t have expected otherwise. The Castelia Gym succession was a time-sensitive issue. I also needed the reigning Champion¡¯s approval if I wanted to secure a formal nomination. I couldn¡¯t get too excited yet.

    In light of all this, I gave a firm nod of acknowledgement. ¡°I¡¯ll be hoping for good news then.¡±

    ¡°As will I, Kayden. As will I.¡±

    We parted ways for the night there. Burgh had a lot to do and discuss with Alder, and he promised to contact me or swing by my hotel room the next day with updates. Meanwhile, I had to prepare for a meeting that was ¡ª in my personal opinion ¡ª long overdue. I fell asleep early with conversation starters and outlines running circles in my head¡­ and no idea about the impending domino effect my decision today would cause.

    <hr>

    I woke up to brisk knocking at my hotel door and a distant muffled voice.

    ¡°¡ªden. Kayden!¡±

    It took me a few seconds to recognize the voice belonged to Burgh, and it took me even longer to stagger out of bed. With blurry vision, I had to sidestep around countless bodies of sleeping and not sleeping Pokemon on my way to the entrance.

    By the time I made it there, I¡¯d managed to blink away a fair bit of my drowsiness. A final yawn tore itself out of my throat as I opened the door. Burgh¡¯s smiling visage welcomed me. In fact, I would even dare to say he looked excited. It was a far cry from the gaunt, lifeless shell of a man I¡¯d met weeks ago.

    ¡°My apologies, I know it¡¯s early in the morning,¡± he greeted, but his good mood didn¡¯t waver. I shot a quick look at a nearby clock to confirm that¡­ yes, it was 6 AM. My attention went back to Burgh as he continued. ¡°I just got off the phone with Alder. He¡¯d like to talk to you at the League HQ today.¡±

    Didn¡¯t that mean both of them had stayed up all night? I didn¡¯t question it, though.

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Right now.¡±

    Any lingering fatigue instantly disappeared. I felt wide awake as I bobbed my head up and down in a nod. This was really happening.

    ¡°Alright. Give me a bit.¡±

    I got ready in record time. With all my Pokemon back in their Pokeballs, I shrugged on my usual hoodie and shuffled over to where Burgh and his Orbeetle were waiting. I got a single moment to wonder about what I wanted for breakfast later.

    Then the world shifted seamlessly in place, and suddenly I was standing on top of the world¡­ or what felt like it anyway.

    Miles of rocky, mostly barren land stretched out as far as the eye could see. From here, I even had a view of Unova at large. Sprawling forests and hints of cities and towns beckoned in the distance. We¡¯d Teleported directly to the front steps of the Unova League¡¯s HQ. A downward glance revealed a terribly long and steep staircase I never wanted to use, and it bottomed out into various elevated platforms. Countless watchtowers and assorted government facilities were evenly spread out. I even caught sight of what looked like a historical, long-forgotten coliseum built into the ground itself. Interesting.

    I turned in place. As for the main building itself¡­

    It was formidable. That was the best word I had on hand to describe it. Massive walls of stone rose up, up, and farther than I could crane my neck to see the end of. They eventually met in a flat base and gave way to a gentle, olive green domed roof with a spire so sharp it could be considered a weapon of its own. From it, the flag of Unova fluttered proudly in the wind. The impenetrable stronghold ¡ª or Union Peak as it was more commonly referred to ¡ª stood at the top of an entire mountain. Though it had little ornamentation etched into its exterior, Union Peak still radiated an ancient beauty other buildings would never be able to imitate. It had long withstood the test of time, and it would only continue to do so.

    Someone awaited me deep inside its walls.

    Both before and after we entered the building, League Trainers on standby ran us through multiple kinds of security checks. Psychic scans for hostile intentions were the least of what they looked for. They even had Aura Pokemon like Lucario on hand to look out for any shenanigans with Zoroark and Ditto. Having them impersonate any human being, not just a government employee, was a federal offense and grounds for getting locked away for years.

    Once we got past initial security, Burgh led me through wide and seemingly endless halls. The building¡¯s interior was as magnificent as its facade. Faded but beautiful murals depicting past conflicts in Unova¡¯s history covered the ceilings. Flags, portraits, and paintings of figures and landmarks decorated the walls. Where we walked, names and dates were engraved into the stone floor under our feet. They reminded me of the historical sidewalk plaques and markers you¡¯d occasionally find etched into Castelia¡¯s streets. I didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it all and focused more on where we were going. Eventually, we stepped inside an elevator.

    Unsurprisingly, the Champion¡¯s office was at the highest point of Union Peak and situated almost directly underneath its dome-like roof. There were lots of League Trainers patrolling up here when we stepped out of the elevator. Fleeting glances were directed our way, but we were free to head down the hall without interruption.

    We stopped outside a set of double doors. The symbol of the Unova League had been emblazoned deeply into the wood almost like a warning. Step inside, but only if you¡¯re on the side of freedom it seemed to say.

    Without further ado, Burgh rapped sharply against the wooden frame with his knuckles.

    ¡°Alder, it¡¯s Burgh. I¡¯ve brought the candidate with me,¡± he called out.

    An incredibly faint voice answered us, one made quieter by the office¡¯s thick and nearly fully soundproof walls. ¡°Come in.¡±

    Burgh turned to me now. ¡°That¡¯s your cue,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°You¡¯re not coming in with me?¡± I asked, surprised.

    My companion quietly shook his head. ¡°No. I believe you two have a lot to talk about in private. I¡¯ll join later.¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    Burgh squeezed my shoulder reassuringly with a hand, then turned on his heel and headed for a waiting area at the end of the passage. I was on my own now.

    I wasn¡¯t nervous. No, what I felt instead was anticipation. There was a part of me that had long dreamed about this meeting, of coming face-to-face once more with the man who¡¯d turned my whole world upside down with just a few words. For a long time, I¡¯d hated him.

    Not anymore. I knew the truth now, and I wasn¡¯t walking out of this office unless I got what I wanted.

    Steeling myself, I grabbed one of the door handles and pushed.

    The Champion¡¯s office was as big as I expected it to be. It was shaped like an oval with a big, plushy carpet that covered nearly the entire wooden floor. Again, the symbol of the Unova League stared back at me amid a sea of creamy hues. In terms of overall decoration, there wasn¡¯t much. The office had been kept rather simple with only a few books lining shelves carved into the walls, some houseplants, and two fluffy-looking couches on either side of a table. On the left side of the room was a familiar Pokemon.

    A massive Volcarona stared at me with interest as I walked inside. Rune was pretty big for his species, but this particular Volcarona ¡ª Vesta as she was known by ¡ª greatly dwarfed him by about¡­ two feet, give or take. Truly a behemoth to be feared, but with one glance, I knew she was getting too old. Once bright and beautiful wings were fading in color. Life still burned in her eyes, but they had long been turning into embers.

    Vesta knew it, too. As a Bug Specialist and Ability Holder, I could sense it in the way she carried herself. She¡¯d accepted her impending death, likely a few years away at best, but she was determined to live out the rest of her life with dignity. A strong and steady warmth filled the air with every beat of her wings.

    For now, I turned my gaze away from Vesta for the front of the room instead. An old mahogany desk stood there in front of a row of windows. Two different flags were hoisted on short poles by the back wall, and they bore the symbols of our country and its League.

    My eyes were focused on the person sitting at the desk.

    He obviously looked different from the man in my memories. Time and stress had run their respective courses. Spiky red and orange hair interspersed with streaks of white in an iconic ponytail. His face was creased with wrinkles, and he looked like he hadn¡¯t shaved in weeks. At least his preferred clothing hadn¡¯t changed. He still wore the comfortable poncho he was known for with Pokeballs looping around his neck.

    Alder Adeku, the long-standing Champion of Unova.

    ¡°Kayden Sterling,¡± he mused out loud. Just as I was studying him, he observed me in turn. His expression was one of wonder as he leaned forward in his seat. ¡°I wondered if I¡¯d ever see you again someday. I didn¡¯t think it would happen like this per se, but color me surprised.¡±

    So he remembered me after all. I¡¯d admittedly wondered if he¡¯d forgotten that child from long ago, but I was glad to see he hadn¡¯t. I might have actually gotten pissed at him otherwise.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said dryly, helping myself to one of the empty chairs set aside for guests, ¡°you and the League did send me letter after annoying letter every year.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t exactly how I¡¯d planned our conversation would go, but Alder had started it. Said Champion cringed at my words.

    ¡°I¡¯d apologize, but that wouldn¡¯t be sincere. I¡¯m happy they served their purpose,¡± he admitted.

    I stared at him. Since we were on this topic already, I figured I¡¯d get some closure for myself. ¡°Why did you not give up after the first letter? Why keep sending them when I obviously didn¡¯t care at the time?¡±

    A low sigh echoed in the office. ¡°Maybe it was a bit selfish of me, but I was proud of what we¡¯d accomplished. I wanted you to know you had the right to return whenever you felt like it. I wanted you to know you hadn¡¯t been forgotten.¡±

    My breath caught in my throat. I wanted to say something, but I found I couldn¡¯t. Alder¡¯s eyes gazed somewhere beyond my shoulder, lost in the fog of distant memories.

    ¡°Throughout the years, I¡¯ve had to sit and watch as countless Ability Holders were sent away. I still remember every single one of them. A ten-year-old who caused a city-wide blackout in Nimbasa when he lost control of his Pokemon and powers. A middle schooler whose Ability manifested late and endangered his parents in a fire. So, so many others. But you¡­ you were the youngest. A six-year-old child¡­ exiled¡­ for trying to save people.¡±

    A shuddering breath left him.

    ¡°You were the last straw,¡± he rasped out. One of his hands clenched so tightly into a fist that his skin turned white. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I didn¡¯t become Champion to watch my people suffer. I became Champion so that I could protect them. So I begged harder, argued more, and made a thousand speeches straight from my heart. I did everything I could all in the hopes that someday¡­ others would share my vision of a truly peaceful future. Years later, here we are.¡±

    With some difficulty, he dragged his gaze away from that invisible something he¡¯d been looking at. Alder¡¯s eyes locked onto mine once more.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± he repeated softly. ¡°Kayden Sterling. On behalf of the Unova League, our government, and the country itself¡­¡± He paused, hands grasping his thighs as he bent forward in a deep bow. My eyes widened in shock. ¡°I would like to apologize for the wrongs done onto you. I¡¯m sorry it took so long to keep my promise to make Unova a better place and one you could return to. I don¡¯t expect your forgiveness.¡±

    He didn¡¯t let up from his bowing posture. Silence reigned in the wake of his genuine apology because I was too busy staring at the crown of his head. A lump had formed in my throat, and I had trouble swallowing it down. My mind was rapidly trying to process all the new information.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    So the reason Alder had suddenly fought harder against the government six months after I left Unova¡­ was because of me? I had been the catalyst for all the changes made in the defense of Ability Holders nationwide?

    It was a lot to take in, but it made sense if I put myself in Alder¡¯s shoes. To have to watch as people were wrongfully banished out of fear, to see even someone so young forced to bear the same fate¡­ all because of a lack of power to stop it. That would drive anyone crazy.

    I was still staring at the crown of Alder¡¯s head. Although I could not see his face, I found myself visualizing it easily enough.

    Alder Adeku.

    A man who¡¯d guarded his highly coveted position for decades because he simply could not fall, not when he had people to protect and goals to accomplish. A man who apologized for the wrongs of his predecessor even though he didn¡¯t have to. A man who, in his relentless pursuit of true Unovan ideals, had never stopped fighting¡­

    And was still fighting even now.

    The thoughts swirling around in my head settled. Even my heartbeat, which had quickened to an almost nervous staccato, calmed down. I knew what I wanted to say.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, Alder. I didn¡¯t come here for that,¡± I told him. Maybe it was a bit informal of me to just up and use the Champion¡¯s first name, but I didn¡¯t care right now. ¡°It¡¯s not like you wanted to banish me or the others. You¡¯ve been the one fighting this whole time to get stuff done in Unova. In fact, I want to thank you for never giving up.¡±

    Alder jolted in place. Slowly, he raised his head to look at me with astonishment. His eyes studied my face as if looking for signs of dishonesty.

    He wasn¡¯t going to find any.

    ¡°Now, that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s nothing to forgive¡­ not with you at least. The assholes who voted for my exile can go fuck themselves,¡± I continued. Fortunately, Alder didn¡¯t mind the language. ¡°I¡¯m always going to be pissed over what happened to me, but I¡¯m not going to let that anger bog my life down any further. Like you said, I have a right to be here in Unova. I get to choose what I want to do, and I want to fight alongside you and your supporters.¡±

    I stared meaningfully at him.

    ¡°You already know from Burgh, but I want to be the next Castelia Gym Leader. I want to inspire people. I¡¯d like to show everyone that Ability Holders shouldn¡¯t be feared and that they¡¯re capable of doing good in this world like anyone else.¡±

    It would also annoy any politicians who were hell-bent on getting rid of Ability Holders, but that was low on the list of reasons why I wanted this position. I was doing this for myself first and foremost. I wanted to do something significant with my life and make an impact on others.

    Alder had since straightened back to a normal sitting posture while I spoke, and he regarded me now with a curious smile.

    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard,¡± he murmured. Heavily calloused fingers clacked away at the keyboard on his desk. His eyes darted left and right across a computer screen. ¡°Burgh sent me everything you gave him. Your trainer profile is quite impressive to the point that I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t keep tabs on you after you left Unova. You¡¯ve defeated two different regional Elite Fours and Champions, won numerous professional tournaments, are ranked within the top ten worldwide at the IBC¡­ is there anything else you¡¯d like to add?¡±

    His voice was still cordial, but it held a far more serious undertone than before. Sensing the shift into the real crux of today¡¯s conversation, I subconsciously sat straighter in my own seat. Small talk and reminiscing about the past were over. We were reviewing my application now.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t participated in any official League Circuits since I was a teenager,¡± I admitted, ¡°but I¡¯ve fought and defeated other Champion-level trainers since then. You¡¯d be surprised how many hidden masters there are who seclude themselves in the corners of the world. I also have experience fighting against Guardian and Ruler Pokemon if that¡¯s of any interest.¡±

    Across from me, Alder¡¯s thick brows nearly flew up to his hairline.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to tell you that that¡¯s incredibly dangerous. It¡¯s also trespassing¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here healthy and alive to tell the tale,¡± I interrupted politely. ¡°And it¡¯s not trespassing if it¡¯s outside the Alliance¡¯s boundaries.¡±

    The Alliance, or the World Alliance as it was formally known, was a global organization that consisted of the major regions of the Kinjoh Area (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh) and Galovea Continent (Alola, Unova, Kalos, Galar, and Paldea). One did not typically seek out Guardian or Ruler Pokemon if they wished to live. Once referred to as Alphas in the distant past, they were dangerous wild Pokemon. Some were so old they¡¯d lived for centuries and others powerful enough that they could contend with the world¡¯s strongest trainers. Most were zealously tracked by the countries whose borders they lived within and treated like bombs that could go off at any time, but there were many who lived outside their influence in self-made territories.

    My journey to become the best possible Bug Specialist had led me to visit some of the world¡¯s most obscure places¡­ as well as chasing after legends and unorthodox sources of knowledge. Guardians and Rulers had interested me greatly back then. They still did. Existence, power, and life went hand-in-hand in our world. The more powerful a Pokemon was and the more they etched themselves into the world¡¯s history, the longer they could live.

    And for a Bug Specialist and his Pokemon, life was a truly precious commodity.

    I offered Alder another meaningful look. ¡°My experience with Guardian and Ruler Pokemon could prove useful if I¡¯m appointed as the Castelia Gym Leader. I¡¯m sure I could help with safeguarding any secrets or handling any issues, say¡­ in the Desert Resort for instance. Maybe even the Relic Castle.¡±

    It was a not-so-subtle way of telling Alder I knew the secret of the Relic Castle.

    No one had ever explicitly told me, but with enough context clues from Rune and childhood memories over the years, I¡¯d pieced together a certain theory once I was older. I was almost certain I knew of the secret lurking deep within its depths.

    To his credit, Alder¡¯s face or overall body language did not have any visible shift. He could and would not reveal any hint of confidential information to those without proper clearance.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± was all he said. I wasn¡¯t particularly disappointed by the lack of response. This was a topic best revisited when I inherited the Castelia Gym.

    When and not if. I wasn¡¯t leaving unless I won Alder over.

    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your official records or your personal word, but I¡¯m the type who likes to see things with my own eyes,¡± Alder decided. His fingers drummed against the tabletop. ¡°That Larvesta¡ª er, Volcarona now I suppose. The one who followed you out of Relic Castle. May I see him?¡±

    My way of answering him was reaching for one of the numerous Pokeballs on my belt and clicking it, all without looking to see if I¡¯d chosen correctly. I didn¡¯t have to. I knew every little scratch or discoloration by heart and whose Pokeball was whose.

    The air-conditioned office turned up in heat as Rune¡¯s form solidified from red light. The Volcarona only needed a moment to get his bearings, and then he angled himself to hover by my side in a protective manner. Blue eyes first narrowed at the other Volcarona in the room, then at the man sitting in front of us.

    He didn¡¯t say anything, but the skepticism Rune radiated was as clear as day.

    Alder didn¡¯t mind. His eyes swept over Rune¡¯s figure twice before he was satisfied. Any experienced trainer had skill in assessing how much a Pokemon had been trained, and none more so than Alder. It helped that he¡¯d raised a Volcarona of his own.

    ¡°Strong. Very strong,¡± he praised out loud. An almost childlike wonder permeated every inch of his face. ¡°To think the child and Larvesta from back then were able to reach such heights¡­ this is the first time in years I¡¯ve wanted to battle someone so much. Even Vesta agrees with me.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have to look over my shoulder to know he wasn¡¯t exaggerating. There was a certain pressure pressing down on my back, one that had been birthed by the hunger for battle. Alder¡¯s Pokemon had been resting quietly off to the side of the room this whole time, but I could feel her eyes drilling holes into me and Rune. Even old age could not quell one¡¯s competitive spirit.

    As if to answer the unspoken challenge, the air around Rune distorted from the increased heat of his wings. He looked like he was ready to go at a moment¡¯s notice.

    I dipped my head and hid a smile. Alder and his famed starter had acknowledged our strength and saw us as rivals. That was enough to make anyone proud. I almost wanted to challenge Alder here and now, but¡­

    I wasn¡¯t here for that. Not today at least.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just Rune. My whole team is strong,¡± I declared. ¡°I¡¯d be a huge asset for the Unova League.¡±

    ¡°You would,¡± Alder easily agreed. Rune buzzed smugly in response. ¡°Strong trainers are already hard enough to come by, but Champion-level trainers are especially few and far in between. Wandering ones like you are a true anomaly.¡±

    Another point in my favor then, and I said as much out loud.

    Alder smiled, clearly not minding my confident attitude. It even seemed to amuse him. ¡°I think we¡¯ve settled your capabilities as a trainer. I¡¯d like to ask about your Ability next if you don¡¯t mind. I imagine you¡¯ve developed it greatly in the last two decades.¡±

    His inflection curved upwards toward the end and almost turned it into a question.

    I might not have known Alder very well, but I knew the Champion of our nation wasn¡¯t going to spill my information everywhere. I also needed to earn his trust if I was going to work with him in the future.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly easy for me to develop it,¡± I confessed. Old memories flashed behind my eyelids. ¡°You know every Ability Holder is a bit unique, right? There¡¯s not exactly a universal crash course out there for how to control or refine your powers¡­ you can¡¯t really ask someone to give you the answers either. It was a lot of trial and error over the years to figure out what I could do.¡±

    ¡°But you can control it, right?¡±

    ¡°I can. You don¡¯t need to worry about that. You already know a bit from what happened in my childhood, but I can communicate with Bug type Pokemon or related species. Uh, I also have better than average hearing, eyesight, reflexes¡­¡±

    I even told Alder about the Sterling Network. A figurative light bulb went off in his eyes, and it made me wonder if he was recalling my childhood incident. He stroked his chin with a thoughtful expression.

    ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°We¡¯ve got quite a few different Ability Holders who work for the League, but none of them have Abilities remotely similar to yours.¡±

    I smiled wryly, hands stuffing themselves in my hoodie pockets. ¡°I¡¯ll say it now: I refuse to be a lab rat.¡±

    I said it only half in jest, but Alder took it in full seriousness and blanched at me.

    ¡°Nothing of the sort will ever happen to you or anyone else here in Unova. That would be a violation of many, many rights.¡±

    At least I knew for sure now that he was a man of strong and unyielding morals.

    Alder was satisfied with the brief overview I¡¯d given him and wanted to focus on something else now: my actual resume.

    ¡°I see you have prior experience working at gyms as well as¡­¡± Alder paused, brows scrunching together as he reviewed the text pulled up on his computer. ¡°A surprising number of certifications for first aid, CPR, boating, scuba diving, bartending¡­¡±

    He rattled off about a dozen more miscellaneous items before he stopped and stared at me. The look of sheer confusion would have been hilarious in any other situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Bug Specialist,¡± I threw out casually. ¡°We¡¯re the type who like to keep ourselves busy, you know? Trying every new hobby or experience that we can, enjoying life, all that jazz.¡±

    With enough time dedicated to their respective paths and Pokemon, Specialists naturally became attuned to their chosen type energy. It could influence them in a myriad of ways. Sometimes they adopted certain personality traits, other times they picked up hobbies or new outlooks on life related to their specialty¡­ it differed from person to person.

    Alder squinted at me. My elaboration was perhaps not as helpful as I thought it was, but he took it in stride and moved on.

    ¡°Your reference letters,¡± he brought up. He even dug out printed copies from a drawer and laid them flat on the table. ¡°You had more than I would have ever expected. Some from major forces like Katy Kalino of Paldea or the previous Santalune Gym Leader, and others from minor leagues scattered across the continent. They all had good things to say about you.¡±

    Oh yeah, each one of those had been accompanied by a more than slightly awkward phone call.

    I¡¯d contacted every single Gym Leader I¡¯d apprenticed under in the past ¡ª even those I¡¯d known for less than a month ¡ª and asked if they could provide letters in support of my character and previous work experience. I wasn¡¯t particularly close with any of them, but thankfully they¡¯d been willing to oblige. Most of my former employers still remembered me after a decade¡­ some with blurrier memories than others admittedly. It had been awkward trying to get them to remember me.

    Whatever got my foot in the door.

    ¡°I know my work experience and reference letters are all old, but Burgh said he would help teach me stuff before he leaves on his trip,¡± I supplemented. My voice was steady. ¡°I really believe I can be the Gym Leader that Castelia needs.¡±

    Instead of saying something in response, Alder stared at me.

    He really stared at me, too, with a gaze so intense that he could have been a human psychic peering into my soul. I was not afraid to meet his eyes head-on. I wanted him to see the resolution that burned within me.

    I wanted him to know I was serious.

    Moments passed. The only sounds in the office were the gentle fluttering of wings from the two Volcarona on standby. Alder and I did not halt our staredown.

    Eventually, he opened his mouth.

    ¡°There have been wonderful Gym Leaders in the past with far less experience than you, so I¡¯m not really worried about that,¡± Alder said without looking away. ¡°Unova is a land full of opportunity. A person only needs to know how to seize such chances and make them their own¡­ just like you. I only have one question for you, Kayden Sterling.¡±

    The room seemed to darken as he leaned forward in his seat. Purple eyes that bordered on stormy gray stared into mine with renewed intensity.

    Every word that came out of his mouth was enunciated clearly with a somber air.

    ¡°To be a Gym Leader is to be a beacon of hope, a pillar for their community, and a leader who can inspire the next generation. In a world where different truths and ideals will constantly clash, tell me: do you have what it takes to stay true to yourself and never fall?¡±

    Thump.

    My lips moved faster than my brain.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Two words.

    Just two simple words, both of which seemed to echo in the vast office, and both with the weight of my entire being behind them.

    Two words, and they altered the course of my life forever.

    Alder¡¯s serious facade cracked. Beneath, a smile emerged that threatened to split his face in two. He unclasped his hands in a slow, deliberate movement and held one of them out to me. I stared at the calloused hand hovering mid-air even as he spoke.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s fight together,¡± he declared in a solemn yet somehow bright voice, ¡°for a future we both believe in¡­ to keep the peace achieved thus far and whatever lies beyond. You have my support and nomination to be the next Castelia Gym Leader.¡±

    Excitement coursed through my body like a wave of running electricity.

    Alder had accepted me as one of his own.

    ¡°Let¡¯s fight together,¡± I agreed, and I grasped his offered hand firmly. Here was a man who¡¯d been fighting all his life. If it was a man like this, I could follow them without any hesitation. ¡°You won¡¯t regret your decision. Bugs are known for being tenacious.¡±

    We were still in the middle of a handshake when I said that, so I was yanked forward as Alder threw his whole head back. Uproarious laughter filled the air while his whole frame shook violently with joy.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± he finally choked out once his fit of laughter subsided. I took the chance to rub my aching arm while he wiped near non-existent tears away. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to get along great, Kayden. You actually remind me of a friend of mine. He¡¯s about the same age as you.¡±

    I made a small sound of interest, but I was more focused on my still-aching arm. Jeez, Alder was a lot stronger than his bum-like appearance suggested. I apologized mentally to him in my head, but it was the truth.

    He really needed to shave.

    Still grinning, Alder whipped out a phone from his pocket and started typing on it. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot to do,¡± he warned. ¡°Let me get Burgh here so we can go over everything together.¡±

    Right after he said that, the doors to the office flew wide open. Burgh marched in with heavy breaths as if he¡¯d ran down the hallway to get to us sooner. The impatient expression on his face implied he¡¯d been waiting forever for us to finish.

    ¡°Well?¡± Burgh demanded, eyes darting between me and Alder. ¡°How did it go? Do you approve of Kayden as the next¡ª¡±

    He stopped suddenly, eyes homing in on the telltale smile on Alder¡¯s face. It only took a moment for him to sag with relief.

    ¡°Legendaries,¡± he muttered. ¡°You should have just started with that in your text message, Alder. I ran down here thinking you¡¯d rejected him as a candidate. I was ready to argue with you.¡±

    More loud laughs tore themselves out of Alder¡¯s throat. I was starting to understand that he was a pretty jovial guy when he wasn¡¯t having serious discussions about work.

    ¡°Good to see you, Burgh. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re looking a little more cheerful these days,¡± he greeted.

    Burgh still looked a bit peeved, but he couldn¡¯t help smiling as he took a seat of his own next to me. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you, Kayden, and everyone else who¡¯s looked out for me this last month. I only have appreciation for all of you,¡± he promised, and then his voice took a sharp turn. ¡°Enough about me, we¡¯ve got a lot to discuss.¡±

    One last chuckle slipped out from Alder before he cleared his throat. He, too, shifted back into work mode. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. First things first: I¡¯m going to let everyone else on our side know about my decision, and then we¡¯ll make Kayden¡¯s nomination official news. Next step would be getting enough people to vote for and officially appoint him as the new Castelia Gym Leader.¡±

    Burgh and I both physically paused in place. There was nothing wrong with the game plan itself, but the way Alder had said that last sentence with a grave tone raised some alarm bells in our heads.

    I was the first to ask. ¡°Is that going to be a problem?¡±

    Alder didn¡¯t exactly wince, but the expression he had wasn¡¯t fully reassuring.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± he trailed off. ¡°I convinced enough people from the neutral side of our government to support my last nomination, Elijah Meisarch, over the other civilian side¡¯s candidate. They didn¡¯t find any issues with him. We had enough people for the majority vote, so it would have been an easy shoo-in.¡±

    Burgh¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Alder sighed, and this time he actually winced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how they¡¯ll react to Kayden¡¯s nomination. Ability Holders are¡­ still a sensitive topic for a lot of politicians. They¡¯re already wary of trainers holding too much power, and Ability Holders just make them more nervous. We barely got Iris appointed as Gym Leader two years ago. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be willing to appoint another Ability Holder to such an important position. Still, I¡¯m optimistic.¡±

    ¡°What if you emphasize how much more military power Kayden would present over the other candidate?¡± Burgh suggested. ¡°I know you just said they¡¯re worried about trainers holding too much power, but there¡¯s always a few politicians who are obsessed about our military strength keeping up with other nations. It could help sway them into supporting your nomination.¡±

    ¡°True. I¡¯ll add that to a list of things I¡¯ll talk about when trying to secure more votes¡­¡±

    Back and forth Burgh and Alder went in a rapid-fire discussion. While they were busy hashing out ways to get enough support for a majority vote, the gears in my own mind were busy spinning.

    Ability Holders, Ability Holders. It always came down to a fear of them in the end. What was so wrong with being one? It wasn¡¯t like we were all evil or criminals in the making. I should have known it would be a deciding factor in getting my nomination approved by the rest of the government. I just hoped it wasn¡¯t going to impede my chances too much. If only there was a way to utilize my identity to my advantage¡ª

    I blinked.

    There was, but it was going to kick the Beedrill¡¯s nest and put me in a possibly unpleasant situation, too.

    ¡°Publicize my story.¡±

    My words cut through the ongoing discussion. Burgh and Alder both paused to look at me with confusion.

    I raised my head with a determined expression. ¡°Publicize my story,¡± I repeated, this time more firmly. ¡°Tell the public how I got unfairly exiled because of a majority vote led by the civilian side of the government. A six-year-old kid getting banished from Unova? People would go crazy over that. They¡¯d want those politicians to hold themselves accountable for their actions. We¡¯d kill so many Pidove with one stone. We and the public would be putting pressure on the other side, ruining their reputations, and getting support for my appointment all at once. It¡¯s perfect.¡±

    Neither of my companions said anything at first. I could see Burgh and Alder¡¯s faces shifting between multiple states of emotion as they realized the benefits of my plan, but Burgh¡¯s concern ultimately outweighed anything else. He knew my story because I¡¯d finally confided in him a few days ago.

    ¡°Kayden, that would put you in the spotlight,¡± he said, frowning. ¡°The media would have a field day if we did that. Sure, they¡¯d jump on the chance to get dirt on certain politicians, but they¡¯d also target you with insensitive articles and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that,¡± I countered, and I meant it. ¡°They¡¯d probably dig into my history after news of my nomination gets out anyway. I mean, here I am showing up out of nowhere. They would have found out about my case eventually, so isn¡¯t it better if we take the initiative and release it first? I¡¯m not going to care about anything they throw at me. I was never going to hide anyway or deny my identity as an Ability Holder. I¡¯m proud of it.¡±

    Burgh¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    He stared at me until Alder broke the silence. There was a resounding crack as he slapped a hand against his knee, grinning.

    ¡°You have guts, Kayden. I like it,¡± Alder told me. Still with that same wide grin on his face, he turned to face Burgh. ¡°We should respect Kayden¡¯s determination. He knows what he¡¯s getting himself into. It¡¯s a good idea anyway. He¡¯ll get support from the public before he even becomes a Gym Leader, and we can get more politicians to vote for him once they realize the public has his back. The advantage would be ours. Plus, we can make guys squirm from sudden fire under their asses. With luck, some of them might even resign.¡±

    It was our turn to stare at Burgh. Both Alder and I pressured him with our gazes until he finally folded, sighing.

    ¡°Very well,¡± he muttered. He waved his hands around in the air with a resigned expression, but he was smiling. ¡°If that¡¯s what Kayden wants, then let¡¯s do it.¡±

    I exhaled quietly. I almost couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d agreed to any of that, but I couldn¡¯t take it back now.

    I wanted to be the next Castelia Gym Leader, and nothing was going to stop me.

    For now, I felt tentatively optimistic about the future. There was just one thing I¡¯d been curious about this whole time.

    I cleared my throat. ¡°So, who¡¯s the candidate nominated by the civilian side of the government anyway? I realized I never asked.¡±

    Alder and Burgh shared a look I wasn¡¯t sure I liked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t really have to worry about her,¡± Alder said, but he spoke slowly and with careful thought behind each word. ¡°If we go with your plan, public opinion is going to be with you, Kayden. Sierra isn¡¯t going to stand a chance.¡±

    Just like that, my smile slipped right off my face and was replaced with a very, very displeased frown. Did I seriously hear that name come out of his mouth?

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±

 Chapter 8

    CHAPTER 8

    There was only one person I knew with that name. The odds were pretty good that it was the same individual Alder was talking about, but like any normal person with a sense of foreboding growing inside, I wanted to be proven wrong.

    ¡°Are you talking about the Sierra who was a part of your Elite Four two decades ago? Sierra Brooks?¡± I asked, doing my best to control my facial expression.

    Any hopes I had were dashed when Alder visibly wilted under my stare.

    ¡°The very one.¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡±

    My displeasure was made loud and clear with a sharp click of my tongue.

    Sierra Brooks.

    Now that was a name I hadn¡¯t thought of since my childhood.

    She had earned her spot in the Elite Four during the previous Champion¡¯s reign and even been a part of Alder¡¯s council for a time. Back then, she was a popular Fire Specialist admired by many for her intense fighting style and lively (read: aggressive) personality. After losing her position in the Elite Four to a challenger and subsequently falling out of the public eye, people didn¡¯t really think about her much anymore.

    It was harsh, but that was generally how the trainer scene and world at large worked. The public cared more about whoever currently held power.

    What little memories I associated with Sierra were certainly not pleasant ones, far from it. She had treated child me like a criminal in the making. It was as if she¡¯d already made up her mind that I was a walking disaster, one bound to spiral out of control and cause great harm to the country someday. Perhaps part of Sierra¡¯s animosity back then had been fueled by me getting too close to a national secret inside Relic Castle, but that was still no excuse for how she treated a child.

    I didn¡¯t like her. Plain and simple.

    Alder knew that, too, considering he¡¯d been there to see everything go down in person. I still remembered how he verbally reprimanded Sierra.

    ¡°I know how you must feel about her,¡± Alder sympathized out loud, sighing. ¡°Sierra¡¯s¡­ passionate about Unova, but that passion of hers is misguided. I didn¡¯t agree with her on a lot of things¡ª scratch that, everything. She¡¯s been lying low in her hometown all these years. I never expected the civilian side of our government to reach out to her after so long.¡±

    ¡°They saw a chance and took it, Alder.¡± Burgh contributed his own two cents to the conversation and a sigh of his own. ¡°They hardly have any influence in the Unova League right now, and they want to change that. Gym Leader positions don¡¯t usually open up. Who better to usher in than a follower of their beloved previous Champion?¡±

    It was new hearing such heavy sarcasm coming from Burgh, but I supposed the old administration was still a sensitive topic for him and the present-day Unova League. Frankly, I was still bewildered by the fact that Sierra was the opposing candidate for the next Castelia Gym Leader. I mean¡­ really? Her of all people?

    A strange sound from Alder ¡ª something in between a cough and embarrassed laugh ¡ª made me realize I¡¯d said that last bit out loud.

    ¡°I¡¯m not keen on having her rejoin the political landscape either,¡± Alder assured me. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m surprised she didn¡¯t try rejoining the League in some shape or form sooner. She always did like flaunting her power¡­¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she? I would have expected her to try and get into the Elite Four again,¡± I questioned. It wasn¡¯t so easy to forget the taste of power after losing it.

    ¡°She did try,¡± Burgh answered on behalf of Alder, shrugging. ¡°She attempted to win back her position but was defeated.¡±

    My nose wrinkled with distaste. ¡°So, because she lost her chance to get back into the Elite Four, she¡¯s trying to snag a Gym Leader position at least? Or¡­¡± I trailed off, mind whirling with a second possibility that occurred to me. ¡°She wants to use it as a stepping stone to challenge the Elite Four again.¡±

    I was rewarded with a small smile from Burgh.

    ¡°Impeccable deduction,¡± he complimented. ¡°Gym Leaders earn the right to challenge the Elite Four after at least a year of service to the state. We suspect Sierra is aiming for that opportunity.¡±

    I felt territorial just thinking about it.

    Sierra Brooks as the Gym Leader of my city? The hometown I¡¯d grown up in? In a position of power where she could negatively influence the minds of millions of citizens with her own views?

    Hell would freeze over first before I let that happen.

    ¡°Not happening,¡± I even said as much out loud. The short but firm response elicited loud laughter from the Champion sitting across from me.

    ¡°Absolutely right,¡± Alder agreed in between subsiding chuckles. ¡°The League will back you up, Kayden. Don¡¯t worry about Sierra. You just focus on getting ready for the future.¡±

    Apparently, that involved being playfully kicked out of his office.

    While Alder issued summons to various League officials and spoke to the other Unova Gym Leaders over a phone call, Burgh and I went downstairs to eat breakfast in the dining hall. I briefly wondered if the service was worth all the taxes it was probably funded by, but it was a needless worry.

    The food was great. It was to the point where I begrudged Alder less for setting up a meeting so early in the morning. The chefs even accommodated special food requests I had for my Pokemon like premium nectar or produce. Feeding thousands of League trainers day in and day out meant the cafeteria staff were used to specialized Pokemon diets, so they typically had a lot of unique ingredients on hand.

    There was also plenty of room for my and Burgh¡¯s teams to eat and get acquainted with each other, but I spent most of my own breakfast eating at a hurried pace. Burgh talked endlessly about what the rest of the morning was going to look like.

    Meetings, meetings, and more meetings¡­ Basically, I had to introduce myself to the politicians who supported Alder. Later, I was going to appear briefly on television with Alder as he publicly announced his nomination of me as the next Castelia Gym Leader. That was also when he was going to divulge my background.

    ¡°Which means, Kayden, you¡¯re going to need formalwear for your first public appearance,¡± Burgh informed me.

    I swore internally while shoving bacon into my mouth. Arceus knew I hated formalwear.

    I didn¡¯t even get to protest. As soon as breakfast was over, Burgh¡¯s Orbeetle Teleported us to a fancy clothing store he frequented back in Castelia. My few sets of formalwear were all collecting dust back at our family home in Alola. I¡¯d rarely worn them given the nature of my travels over the years.

    Now, it seemed I was paying the price for not bringing them with me. I had to fight the urge to flee as the head tailor and his assistants fussed over me while taking measurements. Burgh was an esteemed regular here, so by extension as a guest and friend of his, I got similar VIP treatment.

    ¡°Oh my, charcoal gray would look great on you!¡±

    ¡°Navy blue as well. And we can¡¯t forget the classic black!¡±

    They were nice and all, but I was a restless person by nature especially when it came to clothes shopping. What I thought was going to be a quick in-and-out turned into a much longer visit. Since I needed a nice outfit today, I had to settle for a ready-made suit that fit me well enough. Custom-made suits tailored specifically to me would be delivered at a later date to my hotel address.

    Annnnd that reminded me I needed to look into getting a place of my own. If I was going to stick around as the future Castelia Gym Leader, then I obviously needed a permanent residence.

    So much to do and so little time¡­

    We weren¡¯t quite done in the city after I swapped outfits. I almost groaned out loud when Burgh dragged me into a hair salon next.

    ¡°My hair doesn¡¯t look bad, does it?¡± I asked with incredulity on full display.

    ¡°Of course not! It has a messy charm, but a small trim and some light styling will do you wonders, dear!¡± The stylist chirped after steering me to a chair.

    She prattled on while Burgh read a magazine in the waiting room, so I surrendered myself to my fate. True to her word, the stylist didn¡¯t do much. She made my normally ruffled hair just a tad neater and styled it with a comb and minimal hair gel.

    I still felt uncomfortable after the makeover. Formalwear had always felt so stuffy and restrictive to me, and my new hairstyle wasn¡¯t making things any better. I quickly ran a hand through my hair when Burgh and the stylist weren¡¯t looking.

    Much better.

    Sadly, there was no time to breathe after we Teleported back to Union Peak. Burgh and I were ushered inside a conference room full of people. Alder had summoned countless supporters to League HQ and told everyone I was his new pick for Castelia Gym Leader.

    Surprisingly or not surprisingly enough, nobody raised a complaint.

    It was because they wholeheartedly trusted Alder and his judgment. He was the Champion who¡¯d guided and protected their nation for over three decades. Even when he explained I was an Ability Holder, they took it in stride. It helped that most Unova League officials were former trainers with some degree of experience in the field. They were far more reasonable than civilians when it came to utilizing whatever they could to keep the country safe. They saw the practicality of Ability Holders and chose to believe in their potential for good rather than potential for evil.

    ¡°I plan on convening a full parliament meeting before the week is over,¡± Alder announced from the front of the room. He placed a hand on my shoulder, face adorned with just about the most serious expression I¡¯d seen from him yet. ¡°The Castelia Gym succession issue needs to be settled soon, and we need to secure enough votes to appoint Kayden as the next Gym Leader by then. Public opinion is going to help us with that.¡±

    The older man gave a subtle glance in my direction. I immediately understood he wanted me to present my idea. With an exchange of nods, Alder released his hand from my shoulder and stepped back. I stared out into the rows of expectant faces before me.

    Public speaking wasn¡¯t exactly my forte, but I was going to have to get used to it going forward. My new career would be full of it.

    ¡°There¡¯s a way for us to pressure the other party members into supporting me rather than Sierra Brooks,¡± I began. ¡°Twenty years ago¡­¡±

    The room was quiet during my storytelling and proposal, but after was a different matter. Murmurs broke out as people quietly discussed among themselves.

    ¡°A good idea,¡± someone spoke up cautiously from the back of the room, ¡°but as much as it¡¯ll hurt the other side, it¡¯ll hurt us, too. The public is going to say the League has failed its people by letting a child go through that experience.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll also open a whole other can of worms,¡± a young official added, coughing. ¡°People are going to wonder if other Ability Holders similar in age were treated the same way.¡±

    ¡°Let them,¡± Alder calmly replied. He folded his arms across his chest. ¡°We might not have had enough power back then, but it¡¯s not wrong to say that we did fail our citizens. We need the public to understand how important it is to vote the right people into office, and we need them to hold those politicians accountable for their actions. We have to be honest and show that the Unova League of today is different¡­ that we¡¯re dedicated to doing right by the founding ideals of our nation.¡±

    It was a short but powerful speech, enough that the murmurs died down. The smallest hint of hope peeked through Alder¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Is everyone on board with Kayden¡¯s appointment and proposal?¡± he asked.

    When nobody disagreed, he smiled.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get moving.¡±

    He meant it literally.

    The room became chaotic with motion as people bustled around. Some officials filed out of the room while others stayed behind to talk loudly with Alder about our next steps. Something about a speech draft?

    I didn¡¯t get to hear much because I was whisked away by Burgh.

    The rest of the morning passed in a whirlwind of information and introductions alike. I met other supporters of Alder who were on active duty around HQ, sat through meetings with various departments like the Office of Communications, had my overall look fussed over again for my impending TV appearance, and got coached on how to behave in front of cameras. My earring and neck tattoo got some critical looks from stylists, but they let me be.

    Everything happened so quickly. In the blink of an eye, somehow I went from flitting around League HQ to standing with Burgh and Alder in front of a podium. Bright camera flashes went off in the background as reporters waited at designated tables. I saw one with a name card for the Castelia Times, Unova¡¯s biggest news company. The League had invited all the major news institutions for an ¡®important announcement from the Champion.¡¯

    Given the current political scene in Unova, Burgh¡¯s retirement last month, and the recent nomination rejection, it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that this ¡®announcement¡¯ had to do with the Castelia Gym succession issue. The trio of people on stage were a dead giveaway anyway.

    Dozens of eyes trained their hungry gazes on me. Even when cameras started rolling and Alder opened his mouth to speak, it was me they focused on rather than the Champion.

    Thankfully, Alder wasn¡¯t one to mince words. He barrelled past the shortest pleasantries I¡¯d ever heard straight into what everyone was here for.

    ¡°Castelia City is still in need of a guardian,¡± he stated into a microphone, ¡°and I, Champion Alder Adeku, nominate Kayden Sterling as its next Gym Leader. He has the full support of the Unova League, Castelia¡¯s previous Gym Leader Burgh Arty, and all current Gym Leaders.¡± He turned to me now with a serious gaze. ¡°Candidate, do you accept?¡±

    Without another word, he stepped away from the podium.

    I felt hyperconscious of the cameras and eyes watching my every move, but I stepped up to the podium with full confidence. Relax, I told myself. You belong here. The simple phrase I was supposed to say flowed easily from my mouth.

    Bugs were good at adapting.

    ¡°I, Kayden Sterling, accept your nomination to be Gym Leader of Castelia City.¡±

    Furious clapping and typing sounds commenced in full course. Reporters in the audience were clacking away at their laptops, presumably to type up articles or dig up information about me. To them, I¡¯d basically sprung up out of nowhere as the League¡¯s newest candidate for a highly coveted position.

    Alder and I quickly swapped spots at the microphone again. Our game plan was still the same: to take the Bouffalant by its horns and strike first with a narrative of our own making.

    ¡°We at the Unova League believe that Kayden Sterling is someone who, beyond a shadow of a doubt, will remain true to the ideals our nation holds dear. Peace. Equality. Freedom,¡± Alder rattled off in steady, timed succession. ¡°Kayden Sterling is an Ability Holder we trust to help protect our country.¡±

    People actually gasped and paused mid-typing, but Alder went on unfazed. I kept a calm expression of my own even as I felt gazes intensify.

    ¡°Twenty years ago, and as some of you may still recall, there was an incident at the Relic Castle¡­ a school field trip that took a dire turn. Several young children and parent chaperones fell into the lower levels of the ruins after parts of the first floor collapsed from wild Pokemon fighting. Thankfully, their stories did not end in tragedy. They were brought to safety without anyone dying,¡± Alder recounted.

    He paused meaningfully.

    ¡°It was not the Unova League or Rangers who saved them but Kayden Sterling.¡±

    At the time, it had been officially reported in the news that the League saved the stranded civilians. Now, Alder had unveiled that it was the complete opposite, and more gasps rang out in the wake of his reveal.

    ¡°Kayden Sterling was one of those children who fell into the Relic Castle, and he exhibited remarkable courage and strength. With his Ability, he was able to get help from wild Pokemon and bring everyone back to the first floor,¡± Alder explained over growing murmurs. By chance, I cast a quick glance in his direction and saw eyes misted over with emotion. ¡°Twenty years ago, Unova was not a kind place for Ability Holders. They lived in hiding because the public was afraid of what they could do. In spite of that, a six-year-old child accomplished a truly heroic feat for his age. He used his power for good and should have been commended for reuniting people with their loved ones.¡±

    His facial features contorted ever so slightly into the beginnings of a grimace.

    ¡°Instead, Kayden was exiled from Unova.¡±

    Silence.

    Sheer¡­ utter¡­ quiet.

    Deafening silence descended upon the conference hall, one so abrupt that it was like all the air was sucked out of each person¡¯s lungs¡­ for that was how absurd the statement Alder gave was.

    His voice carried further in the room rendered speechless, and it grew for every word he spoke.

    ¡°It was a decision many others and I disagreed with,¡± he said firmly, ¡°but it was one we had to adhere to at the time. We did not have the power to stop a majority vote. Kayden¡¯s case was not the first of its kind, either. Many innocent Ability Holders were banished back then out of fear they would abuse their powers. In recent years, the Unova League has done its best to fix the wrongs of the past. We have made great strides in ensuring equality for all Unovan citizens, and we will continue to do so. I implore you, the people, to walk with us toward a future where everyone has the freedom to live a life of their choosing. Place your trust in the right people.¡±

    No names were explicitly spoken. No fingers were jabbed and pointed.

    But the subtle implications and messages Alder was trying to convey were clear as day. He, the League, and the civilian side of the government only had as much political power as the people gave them. Unova was a country where the people voted for who they wanted to represent them, and those representatives were expected to uphold the ideals of the nation. If they didn¡¯t, well¡­

    They needed to be held accountable.

    Alder was done with his part. He had casted subtle shade on certain politicians while maintaining the dignity of the Unova League, and now it was up to the reporters and Unovan people to ride the wave he¡¯d started.

    One last time, I replaced Alder at the podium. Burgh and some League officials had helped me draft a short speech, but most of it was just honest words transcribed straight from brain and heart to paper.

    ¡°It would be a lie to say I never once resented Unova,¡± I admitted into the microphone. ¡°To have to walk away from the place you belong and be told you can never come back changes a person in more ways than one. To be feared for things you have not done and will never do is far worse.¡±

    My words were not simply directed at those currently present in this room. No, they extended to people watching from home and exiled Unovan Ability Holders stubbornly staying overseas, those who still held reservations about Unova like the me of several weeks ago.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve seen the Unova of today for myself, and I¡¯m happy with it. I¡¯m glad to know how things have changed. Ability Holders should not all be feared,¡± I continued. ¡°People and Pokemon alike¡ª everyone is capable of being good or bad. The same applies to Ability Holders. The collective should not be judged for the history or actions of a few.¡±

    I exhaled quietly, shoulders easing up as the last bit of tension left them.

    ¡°I consider my nomination as the next Castelia Gym Leader to be a great honor. Should I be officially voted in and appointed to that position, then I hope to use my strength as a trainer and Ability Holder in service of the country. Even after twenty years, and in spite of everything that¡¯s happened¡­¡±

    The corners of my lips curled into a smile.

    ¡°My heart has never strayed from Unova.¡±

    The conference ended there with that as my closing statement.

    <hr>

    Like any other major nation, Unova had been hit by numerous events of significant magnitude before.

    Natural disasters. Civil wars. A frozen age. Even bygone eras where Ability Holders thrived in abundance, spread their notoriety, and caused widespread destruction. The rise and fall of kings and civilizations.

    And now, in present-day society, Unova was once again shaken to its core by Ability Holders¡­ this time in the form of long withheld secrets that reared their ugly heads.

    The impact of airing out the civilian government¡¯s dirty laundry was immense.

    People were outraged.

    Public forums and chat rooms were lit ablaze with gossip. Social media platforms and news portals blew up with comments. Every channel on TV had a news anchor or influential figure criticizing the civilian side of the government. Protests were staged at Union Peak where people carried large signs and yelled for certain politicians to explain themselves. They got their names and evidence directly from provocative articles posted online by the most meticulous reporters. After the conference ended, journalists everywhere dug through obscure records and sniffed around like their lives depended on it. Dirt was like gold in their industry.

    It was honestly scary how much they managed to unearth. Connections and deals between politicians, who voted in favor of so-and-so¡¯s exile on x date, testimonies from retired secretaries who wanted to make things right¡­ even old and incriminating conversations where officials talked shit about Ability Holders in private.

    That last bit was apparently the work of ¡®nice¡¯ civilian hackers who decided to jump on the bandwagon and stir the pot even more.

    All of this in the span of only a few hours.

    It was incredible, truly, and on the verge of getting out of hand. The Unova League was going to have to work overtime to keep the situation under control, but Alder let me know in a text message how happy they were.

    The work was worth seeing their opponents sweat and run around with sudden fire under their asses. Already, one politician had confessed and handed in his resignation due to overwhelming pressure from his constituents. Journalists had dug up information that revealed he had been one of the ringleaders behind me getting exiled years ago.

    That filled me with endless satisfaction that bordered on vindictive pleasure, but it didn¡¯t compare to the joy I felt when Sierra¡¯s name popped up online.

    Some journalist from the Castelia Times had managed to find dirt on her, too. Apparently, they¡¯d gotten into contact with a retired government official, one who revealed Sierra had often sided with majority votes to banish Ability Holders. In this day and age, Ability Holders were a sensitive topic in Unova and protected by numerous laws and rights organizations.

    Needless to say, Sierra¡¯s public image wasn¡¯t looking too hot at the moment.

    True colors were being revealed. Already shady politicians became even shadier. With every second that passed, the public learned more and more about what their representatives were like behind the scenes.

    Hopefully, it opened their eyes going forward.

    No matter where you looked, no matter where you went¡ª people were talking about the conference earlier this morning. People were also discussing Ability Holders all over again.

    Even the trending section of Chatter was dominated by the same few topics.

    TRENDING IN UNOVA

    #UnovanParliament

    601K posts

    #CasteliaGymSuccessionIssue

    495K posts

    Kayden Sterling

    533K posts

    Ability Holders

    327K posts

    Relic Castle Incident

    260K posts

    Though this whole situation would cause Unova¡¯s international reputation to temporarily falter, in the long run, it was a necessary step for the country to take. Corrupt politicians and those with twisted views couldn¡¯t stay hidden forever. They needed to be exposed and removed if we didn¡¯t want our country going down the wrong path again.

    After the meeting at Union Peak, I¡¯d gone straight back to my hotel and napped for a bit. Since then, I¡¯d changed into a more casual outfit and lazed on the couch while browsing on my phone. I mostly read what people said about me and Ability Holders on social media.

    It was comforting and more than a little weird to see so many people jump to my defense and express sympathy for my past circumstances. I¡¯d kept my past hidden for so long that it felt odd knowing the world knew about it now.

    Of course, there were also negative articles about me like I¡¯d expected. Some people weren¡¯t convinced that I was a fresh wind of change that Unova needed. Some even said crap along the lines of me waiting for the perfect time to take over the League and burn the country to the ground. Others had already begun digging into my childhood and posted tabloids with absurd headlines about me being the secret child of a gang in Lower Castelia.

    I could have cared less. I had better things to do like answering my phone.

    Today¡¯s little announcement had not only swept national headlines but even made it onto international news as well. People had already long been curious about who was going to take over as Gym Leader for the world¡¯s largest city, and now the Castelia Gym succession issue came with juicy drama.

    A little red dot hovered over my messaging app. I had unread text messages. Hundreds of them, and all from people who knew me and had seen my face and name come up in the news hours ago.

    Some were from acquaintances I¡¯d made over my years of travelling, everyone from random townspeople I¡¯d shared drinks with at bars or wandering fishermen I struck up conversations with.

    Others were from my former employers, the ones I¡¯d gotten into contact with recently and awkwardly asked for reference letters even if they didn¡¯t remember me too well.

    I even had messages from people back in Alola, neighborhood pals I used to hang out with when we were kids, and a message from Hayden, the guy I¡¯d reconnected with right after coming back to Unova.

    The majority of them came from dad, though, complete with about a dozen missed calls and voicemail messages. His shock and concern over seeing me on the news was apparent even through text.

    I didn¡¯t want to leave him hanging and initiated a phone call. Dad picked up in less than a second.

    ¡°Kayden! You were¡ª I saw¡ª You were on the news!¡± he immediately blurted out in a rushed mess. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s this about you maybe becoming Castelia Gym Leader? What on earth happened since our last call?¡±

    He peppered me with a few more questions before I could get a word in.

    ¡°It¡¯s, uh, a long story,¡± I said with a sheepish smile.

    That was quite possibly the understatement of the year.

    I ended up giving dad a nice abridged version of what had happened since coming back to Castelia. Instead of bombarding me with more questions or even scolding me like I expected, dad said only one thing.

    ¡°I believe in you, Kayden. You¡¯re going to make a great Gym Leader.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t see it, but I closed my eyes and smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the Gym Leader just yet, you know. They have to vote and appoint me into the position first.¡±

    ¡°And they will, or by the Twin Dragons, I¡¯ll have a word with the Champion myself.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help it. Loud and uncontrollable laughter bubbled forth from my chest. I really did have the greatest dad in the world.

    Unova was in the middle of a political upheaval, but at least for this moment¡­

    I felt like everything was right in the world.

 Chapter 9 â€” Where I Began

    CHAPTER 9 ¡ª Where I Began

    ¡°When I said you should think about what you really wanted to do, being a Gym Leader was definitely far from what I had in mind¡ªnot that I have anything against it, of course!¡±

    I snorted with laughter.

    ¡°I know, dad. I know.¡±

    It was funny where life took you sometimes.

    My conversation with dad ended there, but I had someone else to talk to. Dad passed the phone to my overly excited half-sibling because he kept complaining that he wanted a turn to talk.

    ¡°Bro, bro, bro!¡± Kale¡¯s rushed, breathless voice immediately blurted into my ear. In the background, I heard a bunch of dull thuds and rattling sounds like stuff was being moved around. ¡°Kayden, is it true that you¡¯re gonna be a Gym Leader? Dad told us the news over breakfast¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey, bud, I gotta check something first,¡± I interrupted in an all-knowing tone. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you slept past your alarm again.¡±

    A moment of silence and then¡ª

    ¡°What?! No, no, uh, what gave you that idea?¡± Kale laughed nervously, but it was useless.

    I knew my little brother. Those telltale sounds I was hearing in the background? He was definitely dumping stuff into his backpack and stumbling around his room with all the frantic, chaotic energy a ten-year-old could have. It was all too easy to imagine the bed head he probably had right now, too.

    I shook my head fondly even though he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Oh please,¡± I drawled. ¡°Nothing escapes an older brother, Kale. We can chat another time. I don¡¯t want you to be late.¡±

    ¡°Whaaaat? But I just got on the phone¡ª¡±

    ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t want to face mom¡¯s wrath, do you?¡± I half-joked.

    Cue three seconds of Kricketot silence as Kale physically paused in place and shuddered.

    ¡°Okay, you have a good point,¡± he agreed, but then he went right back to yelling into the phone. I had to pull it away from my ear lest I go deaf. ¡°Wait! Bro, you gotta answer my question at least then! I¡¯m gonna die of curiosity before I ever get to school if you don¡¯t!¡±

    Wooden floorboards shook as he dashed downstairs.

    ¡°Are you gonna be a Gym Leader? What¡¯s Castelia like? Are there buildings half as tall as Mount Lanakila? Do they have tasty food? Are¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s way more than ONE question,¡± I cut in, laughing. ¡°I¡¯ll only answer your very first one: yes.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, really¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kale! No running down the stairs!¡±

    I heard a melodious voice admonish in the background, and Kale sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°SORRY, MOM!¡± he yelled.

    Just another day in the Sterling household, I thought as I smiled to myself.

    ¡°Tell mom I said hi. Don¡¯t trip on your way to school!¡±

    My little brother huffed dramatically in my ear. ¡°I won¡¯t! See ya, bro!¡±

    I was still smiling after the call disconnected. Not that I was down in the first place, but talking to family never failed to lift my spirits. I practically felt like I was on top of the world right now.

    I had the support of the people I loved, my new friend Burgh and the Unova League, outraged citizens across the nation, random strangers online¡­

    ¡°Hmm, I think a toast is in order,¡± I decided, and I wandered over to the fridge.

    The hotel was high-end enough that they offered a free selection of quality drinks for those who stayed in the best suites. I took a random bottle of wine with me to the balcony and poured myself a glass. My lips were curled upwards in a perpetual smile as I took a sip, one hand still scrolling through articles on my phone about ongoing protests.

    Ah, such bliss.

    There was nothing like gazing out at the Castelia view while having a good drink and reading about terrible people reaping the consequences of their bigotry.

    <hr>

    The ¡®terrible people reaping the consequences of their bigotry¡¯ could not say the same as a certain Bug Specialist.

    Not even remotely close.

    Hours ago, most of them were in private offices located inside of various government buildings scattered across Union Peak. They worked diligently and without any knowledge of the storm coming their collective way.

    Imagine their surprise when they glanced at their monitors and saw an impromptu announcement from the Unova League.

    Imagine their surprise when the Champion suddenly nominated an Arceus damned Ability Holder for the next Gym Leader of Castelia City. It was already bad enough that they had a rude little gremlin as the co-Gym Leader over in Opelucid!

    They did not recognize that young man named Kayden Sterling. Not yet.

    Not until Alder helpfully told the candidate¡¯s story on live television and revealed the truth. It was then and only then they remembered that particular incident from twenty years ago and the boy they had sent away among a sea of others. Fountain pens fell out of their hands. Mugs of coffee dropped and shattered to pieces on the floor. The whole time, a single uncouth word passed through minds that were rapidly shutting down from a mixture of fear, anger, and stress.

    Fuck.

    The storm arrived right on their doorsteps, and as they quickly learned¡­

    When people were driven by emotion, when they were given ample reason and ammo¡­ they were to be feared.

    Phone lines rang off the hook. Letters of protest were express mailed straight to their offices. Email inboxes were inundated with complaints and demanding inquiries. People willingly paid big bucks just to be Teleported or flown all the way to Union Peak so they could shake their fists and make their voices heard¡ªliterally.

    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourselves!¡±

    ¡°[BEEP] [BEEP]! [BEEP]! Cowards!¡±

    And so on and so forth. The most vocal protestors were parents who had children of their own, those who could sympathize with and were most appalled by the story of a young boy being exiled.

    That was not the worst of it.

    True hell was disguised in the form known as the Pokenet.

    Chatter, Indeegram, Frillbook, Teddit, PokeTube, Duncord¡ªheck, the news was even making its way onto regional servers on the other side of the world like Chimegram and Farbook. People posted memes, reaction videos, supportive posts, and every manner of digital know-how known to man.

    The most searched inquiry on Zoogle became the ¡®Unovan Parliament Exiles,¡¯ and someone even made a whole Caterpedia page dedicated to today¡¯s incident.

    Most damning of all was the flood of blasted articles. Names were listed. Politicians had targets on their backs because of them. The Mandibuzz and Mightyena had been set loose. They preyed on weakness, and they jumped at the chance to tear into wounded beasts. Their specialty?

    That was digging for dirt, and when journalists already had an idea of what to look for, that meant they found buried secrets faster.

    They kindly publicized their findings for the sake of readership and the Unovan people, of course.

    Hours later, weary politicians gathered secretly in a spare meeting room on the grounds of Union Peak. They may have belonged to different parties, but they shared one common trait, and that was their negative views on Ability Holders. They only came together because this was an issue that threatened to pull all of them under.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± someone swore. He was practically on the verge of tears. ¡°Those cases were off the record¡ª¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean Bouffalant crap if they track down retired secretaries and bribe them¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then they should have held their tongues!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the one whose name is floating around the Pokenet!¡±

    The room devolved into fits of yelling and hands being thrown up out of anger.

    ¡°QUIET!¡± someone eventually shouted. One of the most well-known representatives in the room, Howard Moore of Driftveil, had to yell it two more times before people settled down. He swept glaring eyes across the room full of occupants. ¡°This meeting is pointless, gentlemen. Instead of arguing, you should be thinking hard right now. Did you let information slip to anyone over drinks years ago? Did you discuss something you shouldn¡¯t have within earshot of a former chauffeur? Only you might know. Go and silence people with money! Erase traces before they¡¯re found! Do anything, but do it discreetly.¡±

    He gritted his teeth as people fled the room in haste and pulled out phones to make calls.

    Howard¡¯s concern was reserved mostly for himself and his own party members, but if he wanted to oppose Alder and the League in the future, then he needed as many similar-minded folks to remain in office as possible.

    Thankfully, quite a few of the politicians behind the decades-old exiles were either dead, retired, or hadn¡¯t been re-elected after their terms ended in later years. It didn¡¯t matter if journalists were able to find evidence that linked them to Ability Holder cases. Those politicians didn¡¯t hold any power right now. They could be thrown to the Lycanroc for all Howard cared.

    Still, he ordered a few of his subordinates to go make sure no one decided to drag others through the mud with them.

    To think all this madness was because of Kayden Sterling¡­ Had he come back after twenty years to exact revenge?

    Howard had been one of the ringleaders back then for that boy¡¯s case as well as many others, but he always subtly manipulated discussions behind the scenes and swayed votes the way he wanted. His party members didn¡¯t call him Silver Tongued Moore for nothing.

    His involvement would never be found. The storm would eventually blow over.

    More importantly, what were they going to do about their newest problem called Kayden Sterling¡­

    ¡°Sierra¡¯s reputation took a hit, too, right?¡± he suddenly barked out to one of his subordinates. He thought he remembered reading such an article on his phone earlier.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Howard muttered. He felt a migraine coming on much like a Psyduck. ¡°We don¡¯t have any other backup candidate. She¡¯s the only strong trainer we can push for the role who¡¯s willing to support future policies we want. Call her and get damage control going.¡±

    He sighed, dragging a hand down his face.

    This whole ordeal had made him age another ten years.

    <hr>

    Lacunosa Town, Unova ¡ª Sierra Brooks

    ¡°¡ªand you need to look genuinely guilty, Ms. Brooks,¡± Howard¡¯s lackey told Sierra Brooks. ¡°Don¡¯t lay it on too thick, of course, but you must truly appeal to the people when you make your public apology. Should I repeat anything again?¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    Legendaries, it was like they thought Sierra didn¡¯t know how the world worked or how to conduct herself in front of cameras. Her blood boiled with repressed anger. She had been an Elite Four member for years. Of course she knew how to act.

    ¡°Alright. Just leave the rest to us. Public opinion doesn¡¯t look too good right now in our favor, but we¡¯re going to do our best to bring the opponent¡¯s qualifications into question at the very least.¡±

    Sierra didn¡¯t bother responding. She ended the call and held her phone with a death grip, lips pressed into a thin line. Without her needing to say anything, her team of Pokemon filled dark tunnels with fresh flames and light. A dozen Fire types returned to independent sparring once more.

    They were in a cavern Sierra had frequented on and off over the last decade and a half, one on the outskirts of town that her team had long laid claim to as a decent training area. Ever since she lost the right to walk among the grounds of Union Peak, she had buried herself in training.

    Failing to win her Elite Four position back and suffering two consecutive defeats should have been more than enough motivation, but improvement remained slow after all these years¡ªnonexistent, even.

    Sierra didn¡¯t want to believe she and her team had hit their limits long ago, just as she didn¡¯t want to believe that Kayden Sterling of all people had come back to challenge her for the position of Castelia Gym Leader.

    She could not remember every Ability Holder she had seen and subsequently voted into exile over the years ¡ª why bother? ¡ª but she easily remembered him, the boy involved with the Relic Castle incident. The boy who could understand Bugs and¡ª

    The boy whose mind actually came into contact with the dormant Sun.

    A national disaster could have unfolded that day. They were lucky the Sun did not deign to stir from its slumber, but who could say it would never happen?

    What if that boy got the idea to try and control it one day when he grew up? What if he became powerful enough to do so?

    Not that Alder would have allowed it in the first place, but the boy was too young to have his memories tampered with at the time. Sierra would have opted for immediate exile either way. He was simply too dangerous to keep around. Sierra would never understand why people weren¡¯t more wary of Ability Holders. One only had to look through the pages of Unovan history to see examples of what they could do with their powers if they felt like it. Inciting civil wars and creating man-made disasters were at the top of the list.

    It helped that she¡¯d been influenced by her hometown growing up. Lacunosa was a place steeped in superstition, but it was that very prudence that had allowed their town to survive up to the modern era.

    Sierra had particularly vivid memories of her late grandmother.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Listen to me, little one,¡± her grandmother croaked. Clouded and nearly blind eyes almost seemed to find her own without fail. ¡°A wise woman once lived here in Lacunosa, and she always said we mustn¡¯t trust Ability Holders. Some hold power far too great for a mortal. Before she passed away, she told us this: someday, a young man will tear Unova apart for the sake of Truth!¡±

    Spit flew through the air as her grandmother spoke with renewed intensity.

    ¡°DO NOT TRUST THEM!¡± she urged. ¡°THEY¡¯RE DANGEROUS! EVERY SINGLE ONE!¡±

    ¡°Mother! Stop scaring her,¡± her mother hissed, and then she herded her young daughter away from the living room. She looked down at her with a strained smile. ¡°Don¡¯t pay her any attention, Sierra. Grandmother is a bit confused these days.¡±

    Her mother always said the same thing, gently dismissing the ramblings of an old woman.

    ¡ª

    Now, Sierra was starting to wonder if her late grandmother¡¯s words had some substance to them after all.

    ¡®Someday, a young man will tear Unova apart for the sake of Truth.¡¯

    Kayden Sterling sure as hell was doing that at the moment.

    All of this had to be his idea. Alder, she knew, was the type to tread cautiously because of his position at the top. He wouldn¡¯t have resorted to opening the floodgates like this unless he had a compelling enough reason to do so, one born and manifested from years of guilt.

    The Relic Castle incident had caused a permanent rift between Alder and half of his Elite Four back then. Sierra still remembered the screaming match they all had in private after the boy was exiled, but she didn¡¯t regret a thing.

    Even if she was to go back in time, she would make the same choices again and again.

    She always would for the sake of Unova.

    Dangerous factors with equally dangerous potential had to be removed altogether. Without any risks, peace and unity could be ensured.

    Alder thought otherwise. That was not true peace and unity to him. Through his efforts in the political scene, Kayden Sterling eventually came crawling back to Unova once more.

    With a few Zoogle searches, Sierra discovered Kayden had made a name for himself as a reputable trainer. He¡¯d defeated a few Elite Fours and Champions in his teenage years ¡ª monumental feats that less than a handful could claim around the world, and those people usually became the reigning Champion of their respective countries ¡ª but he was more well-known in the professional side of the trainer scene.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    He was also a Bug Specialist of all things.

    She still couldn¡¯t believe Alder had let him keep that Larvesta long ago. It was like giving wings to a tiger.

    Power needed to belong in the hands of those who could be responsible for it.

    As Sierra watched her Pokemon breathe flames, scarlet hues danced in her dark eyes. Like every element and type in the world, Fire was many things. One person would perhaps claim it was warmth and guiding light. Another might say it was anger and death. There were no right or wrong answers to be found.

    Fire, to Sierra Brooks at least, was transformation.

    It consumed, it destroyed, and it created without end in a glorious cycle. Ever burning and ever seeking. Obstacles merely became the fuel for her passions. Wielding flames, she burned away the old and unnecessary for the emergence of a future she desired.

    She would be forced to make a public apology in order to salvage what remained of her reputation, but it would not do much. Trust, once lost, was not so easily earned again. The politicians who claimed they would try to find faults with Kayden Sterling would not have much luck, either. The public sympathized too greatly with a young man and his distressing story. They followed the righteous Alder and his Unova League.

    All seemed lost, but Fire was defiant. Her pride would not allow things to end here.

    Her blood burned with the renewal of an old vow from her youth.

    With Fire, Sierra controlled her own destiny, and with Fire, she would change it again.

    <hr>

    Castelia City, Unova ¡ª Kayden Sterling

    It had only been hours since the announcement, but with the way public opinion swung so dramatically in my favor already, me becoming the next Castelia Gym Leader was pretty much guaranteed. The civilian side of the government was going to realize soon that if they wanted to get re-elected for another term, then their only choice was to vote for me and outwardly show they pandered to the public¡¯s wishes.

    Due to a combination of lack of sleep and a packed morning, Burgh said he would start teaching me gym leader stuff the following day. He advised me to lay low in the meantime. Reporters prowled the streets.

    I wasn¡¯t the type to listen to such suggestions, unfortunately. I got antsy if I was indoors for too long.

    So, after finishing my drink on the balcony, I decided to go house shopping.

    As nice as my hotel suite was, I didn¡¯t want to live there forever. I wanted a place of my own. I looked up real estate agencies in the city, chose one of the better ones after sifting through reviews, and called to ask about same-day appointments. I had to call three different places before I found one that had time to see me right now.

    Ribombee accompanied me out of the hotel today. If I needed a quick getaway on the off chance that someone discovered my identity on the streets, then she was my ticket to sweet, sweet safety. For now, I made sure the hood of my jacket was tugged far over my head. This was probably the last time I¡¯d get to wear one since the weather was getting too warm.

    Hardly a minute into my walk, I quickly discovered that Burgh had not been exaggerating.

    There were reporters everywhere on the streets of Castelia.

    Most news companies were focused on investigating politicians and old cases right now, but they didn¡¯t neglect getting interviews from ordinary citizens or coverage on ongoing protests.

    In fact, I came across one happening near a park.

    ¡°We won¡¯t stand for injustice! Keep your voices loud!¡± a guy yelled energetically into a megaphone. He threw a fist into the air. ¡°Make them confess and apologize! All exiled Ability Holders deserve that!¡±

    ¡°YEAH!¡±

    What seemed like hundreds of voices answered him in a loud roar. People waved signs and posters in the air, and I realized most of those had ULC written somewhere on them. They were from the Unova Liberty Center. I wondered idly if Hayden was here¡ª

    I did a double take when I realized that yes, he was. In fact, he was the person with the megaphone. We actually made eye contact as I passed by. He was surprised enough that he faltered mid-speech, but he quickly recovered. He flashed a smile before looking away.

    ¡°FOR UNOVA!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°YEAH!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jones, can we get an interview with you?¡± A reporter suddenly asked, fighting to be heard over all the noise. He had sneaked into the crowd, and he waved a notepad around to catch Hayden¡¯s attention. ¡°From our research, we learned that you were one of Kayden Sterling¡¯s old classmates¡ª¡±

    Jeez, I¡¯d known this was going to happen, but they were snooping further into my own past, too.

    I didn¡¯t worry, though. My old classmate didn¡¯t have any intention of talking. Hayden grinned, took his megaphone, and then yelled in the nosy reporter¡¯s face.

    ¡°SORRY, DIDN¡¯T HEAR YOU, we¡¯re kind of in the middle of something right now!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jones¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alright, everyone, say it with me! We won¡¯t stand for injustice!¡±

    ¡°M-Mr. Jones¡ª¡±

    ¡°WE WON¡¯T STAND FOR INJUSTICE!¡±

    Thus, the reporter was studiously ignored.

    I found myself smiling as the sounds of the protest faded into the distance behind me. Looked like Hayden was doing well for himself after getting back from his business trip.

    I didn¡¯t run into any trouble on my way to the real estate agency, thankfully, but I did unintentionally cause a commotion inside. The startled secretary showed me to a waiting room occupied with her equally startled boss. He crushed a bottle of water in his hand out of shock. Water dribbled down his chin as he looked between me and the TV on the wall several times over.

    It played a news report on the morning¡¯s announcement with a blown up picture of me in the background.

    Damn, even if I hated wearing suits, I looked pretty good in one.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Mr. Kayden Sterling?¡± the man finally asked, eyes the size of saucers. He still hadn¡¯t stopped looking between me and the TV.

    I flipped my hood back, grinning.

    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡±

    <hr>

    The boss ¡ª Atticus as he insisted on being called by ¡ª ended up personally escorting me to different properties that were for sale. He drove us in his car right up until the afternoon rush hour began. It would have been maddening to go anywhere by vehicle or subway after that, so we opted for the most mundane and universal mode of transport: walking.

    He wouldn¡¯t stop apologizing profusely as we strolled down sidewalks. I made it my silent goal to make sure I became an approachable Gym Leader in the future. Like come on, I was a normal guy with a non-intimidating appearance. Maybe I looked kind of crazy when I fought, but what was there to be afraid of outside of a match?

    ¡°No sweat,¡± I reassured him over and over again. ¡°I like the exercise.¡±

    The criteria I gave Atticus for potential housing I¡¯d be interested in included the following: spacious enough to comfortably house over a dozen Pokemon, located within thirty minutes of walking from the Castelia Gym, the inclusion of a large garden or backyard area, and enough room for a dedicated training space.

    No budget limit at least. This was a significant investment for my future and worth depleting part of my savings over.

    All the criteria helped narrow our search down.

    There was a penthouse with a rooftop garden I knew my team would enjoy, and since it was a building mostly filled with trainer occupants, they had private training halls in the basement levels. Those were too small for my liking, though, so I crossed it off the list.

    Next was a luxury loft that definitely checked off the criteria for ample space. It even came with a huge training hall because a rich, wannabe trainer kid used to live there and had it made, but the place didn¡¯t have a garden. I excluded it from the list, too.

    Over the next couple of hours, I trekked up and down Castelia looking at different properties. My decision was made well past dinnertime.

    I ultimately settled on a large, two-story house with warm beige walls. Residential houses weren¡¯t too common in Castelia, but they definitely existed among the sea of apartment complexes and skyscrapers. The one I chose was in a secluded neighborhood about fifteen minutes from the Castelia Gym¡ªvery secluded and very private. They had apparently tried to make this area into a huge park before, but the plan fell through halfway into demolishing old houses, so they left the rest where they stood and planted a bunch of trees instead.

    Thus, there was basically only a single house on each street. I liked how empty it was personally. More space for my Pokemon to roam and do what they wanted. The abundant greenery was a plus, but the house¡¯s other main selling point was its significantly large backyard. I already had plans to keep half as a garden and convert the other half into a training area.

    My good mood only soured on our way back to the office to sign documents.

    Reporters somehow managed to identify me even though I kept my head down. I supposed it was a wonder I hadn¡¯t been caught until now given I hadn¡¯t even bothered wearing a face mask.

    ¡°Kayden Sterling! Wait, I¡¯d like to interview you!¡± someone yelled, and suddenly everyone was running down the street toward me with cameras in hand.

    I remained calm and shoved my hands inside hoodie pockets.

    ¡°Do you have any issues with Teleportation or the like?¡± I asked my broker.

    ¡°Er, no¡ª?¡±

    Ribombee didn¡¯t wait for Atticus to finish. With a shake of her wings, she scattered sparkling dust around her and waved a hand. It was a seamless shift. One second we were on the streets of Castelia, and the next we were back in Atticus¡¯s office at the real estate agency.

    Atticus blinked rapidly, mouth hanging open with shock. ¡°I¡­ You¡­ Did we just Teleport?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t exactly Teleport, but more like a neat trick I stole from a famous Fairy Specialist in Johto. It was a bit similar to the fairy rings you¡¯d see sometimes in the deep wilds away from prying human eyes. I had Ribombee scatter fairy dust into the atmosphere and ¡®mark¡¯ locations, altering reality. Travel was possible between those points.

    I didn¡¯t bother explaining all that to a civilian.

    ¡°Something similar,¡± I grinned. ¡°Now let¡¯s get down to business.¡±

    I went home after signing documents, calling utility services up, and having ownership of the house transferred over to me.

    Tomorrow morning, I¡¯d move into my new place.

    <hr>

    ¡°Kayden Sterling is a Bug Specialist and member of the International Battle¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªwould be the second Ability Holder to be a Unova Gym Leader after Iris Shaga¡ª¡±

    No matter which channel I went to on the news that night, my name was mentioned by all of them. One hand kept clicking the remote while the other browsed through messages on my phone. Alder was dutifully keeping me updated on how things were going back at League HQ.

    One more politician had resigned because of enough skeletons being unearthed from his closet. They were going to hold special elections in the near future to replace anyone else who quit, but two representatives had been elected to fill in until then: Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius and Annyra Huang. Where Sierra was concerned, apparently she had issued a public apology where she expressed ¡®extreme remorse¡¯ for her previous actions.

    Yeah. I didn¡¯t buy that.

    Alder also let me know that the civilian side of the government had finally made their move. They¡¯d brought my qualifications as a candidate into question during a meeting. The main thing they nitpicked at was my lack of public battling achievements. Sure, I¡¯d conquered some League Circuits when I was a teenager, but that was a decade ago in their eyes. Who was to say my skills hadn¡¯t degraded since then or so they challenged? They thought my prowess as a Champion-level trainer was exaggerated. They didn¡¯t care about what I did in the professional trainer scene since most civilians only cared about regional League Circuits and Conference results.

    I snorted when I saw Alder¡¯s text message¡ªhis response to everything.

    Alder [9:49 PM]: They¡¯re just desperate and grasping at any straws they can right now. Don¡¯t worry about them. It¡¯s a moot point that won¡¯t stick. Bouffalant shit.

    I fully agreed. I put my phone on the bedside table and flipped through a few more TV channels.

    ¡°¡ªprotests at Union Peak are still ongoing¡ª¡±

    ¡°Former Gym Leader Burgh Arty was not available for comments¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªmother of Kayden Sterling refused the interview¡ª¡±

    I¡¯d never shut the TV off so fast before. My heart didn¡¯t pound in my chest, but my eyes did widen.

    Mother of Kayden Sterling.

    It couldn¡¯t be.

    I set the remote aside and looked for news on my phone. My jaw clenched as I read a mere few lines of text. I didn¡¯t want to learn too much.

    Nope, apparently it could be.

    Journalists had managed to track down the woman my dad used to be in love with, my¡­ biological mother. As far as I knew, the Unova League and government had safeguarded the privacy of all people involved with the Relic Castle incident. They¡¯d gone to great lengths to hide my biological mother from the public eye, too, because back then, the last thing they wanted was for traces of an Ability Holder to be found even where family was concerned.

    My jaw unclenched as I put my phone away, flopping back onto my bed with closed eyes.

    I only vaguely wondered how they¡¯d found her. Divorce records weren¡¯t public. Maybe they¡¯d tracked down old neighbors and asked around? Whatever they did, it couldn¡¯t have been easy.

    I also found I didn¡¯t care. It had startled me a little at first, but that was it.

    I truly didn¡¯t care about that woman anymore. Hadn¡¯t for years. I had a mom, and it wasn¡¯t her.

    Honest to dear Arceus and the Twin Dragons, I swore I didn¡¯t care. I even let thoughts about that particular topic float away, but when the large body of a Volcarona landed next to me on the bed and a warm, comforting wing was draped over my stomach¡­

    I didn¡¯t push Rune away.

    The rest of my Pokemon joined us by the bed, and we stayed up late into the night talking with each other and messing around with a pillow fight. I knew this was their way of showing they cared about me.

    I had all the family I needed right here, and I fell asleep dreaming of a bright and glorious future with them.

    <hr>

    Early morning came, and with it, moving day.

    I finally checked out of the hotel I¡¯d stayed in for weeks and had Ribombee warp us over to our new home. After dumping my luggage in the bedroom, I went out for a morning jog around the neighborhood. Wireless earbuds filled my ears with upbeat, motivational music. I made it a point to stay in shape since I adventured a lot, but I didn¡¯t want to slack off now that I would no longer be traveling. Thoughts about furniture I needed to buy drifted through my head the whole time I ran. Maybe I¡¯d go after I finished exercising¡ª

    ¡°Kayden Sterling.¡±

    If I had a Pokedollar for every time someone had greeted me with my full name since coming back to Unova, I would have three¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t a lot, granted, but it was weird it happened so many times.

    Music faded as I ripped my earbuds out and jogged to a halt. Thinking that it was perhaps another IBC trainer who came to seek me out for a match or even an old classmate, I turned with a witty quip prepared but¡ª

    It was neither.

    It was someone else I knew, though.

    A beautiful woman watched me from a distance. Strands of brown and white hair fell in waves across tanned skin, but it was her eyes that stood out to me. Dark, nearly soulless, and yet as fierce as I remembered, they stared at me without pause. I was no longer intimidated by them like I used to be. She was much, much older.

    So was I.

    ¡°Sierra Brooks,¡± I drawled, arms crossing over my chest. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    If she was surprised that I remembered her, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°It took me longer to find you than I thought.¡±

    I raised a brow. ¡°Like I said,¡± I repeated in a bored voice, ¡°what do you want?¡±

    My body language made it very clear that I saw this whole thing as a waste of time. She¡¯d interrupted my morning jog. Rather than feeling wary of this encounter, I simply felt annoyed.

    Out of everything I expected Sierra to say, I did not expect the following words from her.

    ¡°Then let me be frank: you should have stayed out of Unova,¡± she declared.

    Excuse me?

    I scoffed. ¡°You came all the way here to say that? I don¡¯t know if I should feel insulted or flattered. Hate to break it to you, but Bugs are good at surviving.¡±

    ¡°Apparently so,¡± Sierra replied softly in a mocking tone. Her eyes narrowed into thin slits. ¡°We don¡¯t need Ability Holders in Unova. We don¡¯t need risks walking around with powers that can be abused for evil.¡±

    ¡°People like you are the ones turning us into so-called risks,¡± I countered. ¡°Most people accept Ability Holders in present-day Unova. There are plenty who work for the League, too. It¡¯s peaceful.¡±

    ¡°But there are still incidents,¡± she retorted, voice nearly a hiss. ¡°Ability Holders who are tempted by what they can do and become criminals. What do you have to say for those?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I said simply. I¡¯d read about those incidents online when I did my research early on in my Unova trip. There were people who came back to the country and decided to do very bad things to say the least. ¡°They¡¯re criminals. They did wrong. But like I said at Union Peak¡­¡±

    My voice dropped as I repeated words from my nomination speech.

    ¡°The collective should not be judged for the history or actions of a few. I¡¯m going to do my damned best to show that.¡±

    Sierra stared at me with a challenging, venomous gaze.

    ¡°Can you?¡±

    ¡°I can.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to give you the chance,¡± she hissed, and she began to step closer. I did not stray from where I stood with crossed arms.

    I did not stray even as Sierra halted in front of me. Eyes darker than coal then cast their stony glare upwards.

    ¡°The one who seeks Truth, and the one who seeks Ideals,¡± she recited, each word as sharp as any thorn. ¡°In the name of the White and Black Dragons, I challenge you.¡±

    Nothing physically changed with her words, and yet the entire world seemed to darken with that single proclamation.

    This was the first time I¡¯d heard it in person, but I knew what she had just recited. I recognized it from stories and books I¡¯d read in the past.

    It was an outdated and almost sacred way of challenging people to a battle in Unova. When two people were beyond reconciliation, they asked the Twin Heroes and Dragons to oversee their duels from on high. The side that emerged victorious proved their claims right.

    Nobody used it anymore.

    Nobody except Sierra, it seemed, who still paid respect to the old ways.

    That, and I was certain she had requested a battle in this way on purpose.

    To refuse a challenge like the one she issued was the same as saying ¡®you were right¡¯ and ¡®I was wrong.¡¯ That only mattered if you took any value in the challenge rite and old ways themselves, of course.

    The option to refuse was there. I had the option to decline, to walk away and leave her standing here like a fool, and to go on with my day because I didn¡¯t owe her anything.

    I could have, but I didn¡¯t.

    I remembered my answer to Alder¡¯s question in his office.

    In a world where different truths and ideals will constantly clash, tell me: do you have what it takes to stay true to yourself and never fall?

    I was Kayden Sterling, and I never backed down from a challenge. I wasn¡¯t going to lose.

    ¡°I accept.¡±

    There on that sidewalk, two people smiled coldly at each other.

    <hr>

    Six-on-six, no switches, no Mega Evolution. Plain, simple, and brutal¡ªjust the way we both preferred it. I had no idea if this was Sierra¡¯s way of trying to prove she was the better candidate or if she simply hated me enough to want to fight, but I didn¡¯t care.

    A battle was a battle. You fought. Someone won, and someone lost.

    Sierra issued the challenge, so I picked the location.

    ¡°You want to battle in this rotten dump?¡± she scoffed, glancing around our surroundings.

    ¡°If you have a problem, you can leave now,¡± I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I never heard your challenge.¡±

    She glared at me but said nothing.

    I¡¯d chosen a rundown outdoor battlefield near my childhood home in Lower Castelia, one near an underpass. Grated fencing circled the perimeter like the kind you¡¯d see around basketball or tennis courts. Across benches and rickety stands that looked like they¡¯d give you tetanus, colorful graffiti covered whatever surface it could find. Honestly, it was a rotten dump.

    When I was younger, I¡¯d passed by this place many times with Berry and thought it¡¯d be nice to battle here like the older kids did.

    I supposed this was an unconventional way of fulfilling a childhood dream.

    ¡°You realize the two of us will cause mass destruction to the city without intervention, right?¡± Sierra questioned, huffing. ¡°We need¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªsomeone to be the referee and keep our fight contained, I know,¡± I drawled, rolling my eyes. ¡°Please, I¡¯m not stupid. Two elite trainers duking it out is a recipe for disaster. I already texted someone.¡±

    That someone arrived about half a minute after we stood around in tense silence. Sierra absolutely bristled when Burgh walked onto the field with his Orbeetle. He¡¯d had to Teleport nearby first and walk the rest of the way.

    ¡°You called Burgh Arty?¡± Sierra snarled.

    ¡°Happy to see you, too, Sierra,¡± Burgh shot back dryly, and he shot me an indecipherable glance. ¡°I would appreciate an explanation after this, Kayden.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for coming.¡±

    We got ready fairly quickly. Once Burgh was made aware of the match rules, Sierra and I took our places on opposite ends of the ugly stretch of dirt mixed with weeds that we called our battlefield. Old, battered Pokeballs containing our first Pokemon were held firmly in our hands. From here, the sounds of cars zipping past could be heard above the underpass.

    I thought we would begin right away, but Sierra was more committed to the old ways than I thought.

    ¡°Sierra Brooks,¡± she introduced, tightening the grip on her Pokeball. She raised her chin and stared coolly at me. ¡°Of Lacunosa Town. Unova.¡±

    In my peripheral vision, I saw Burgh¡¯s brow scrunch together because he didn¡¯t understand the context behind everything. I didn¡¯t say anything to him because my mind was already on the match.

    This was not simply a battle between Truth and Ideals or Fire and Bugs.

    No, this was a battle between passion and the will to survive.

    I opened my mouth to introduce myself. Kayden Sterling of Hau¡¯oli City, Alola or so I thought¡ª

    No¡­ that wasn¡¯t quite right.

    That wasn¡¯t where I began. My roots were elsewhere.

    My beginnings were in a city that never slept, where dreams never truly died, and where people never stopped moving.

    My beginnings included a cramped bedroom in a small, rotting house that always leaked, a little Sewaddle that stayed by my side, and the ruins of a forgotten age I nearly died in.

    I was banished and expelled from here, but I clawed my way to the top of the world and survived to come back here again in glory. Bugs were hard to kill. They survived even when people thought it was impossible, and they went on to thrive.

    They lived.

    I could say it now, the place where I truly belonged and where I began.

    ¡°Kayden Sterling,¡± I said, inhaling. I raised my Pokeball.

    Gold eyes glowed with all the intensity of the sun.

    ¡°I¡¯m from Castelia City of Unova.¡±

 Chapter 10 â€” A Will Forged in Fire

    CHAPTER 10 ¡ª A Will Forged in Fire

    Bugs.

    Age was irrelevant. They were the so-called creepy crawlies for children and adults alike¡ªunwanted, feared, and loathed. Something about them stirred the primal instincts humans carried deep inside. Whether through sight, touch, or even hearing, Bugs elicited truly visceral reactions from all those who beheld their forms.

    Large and unblinking compound eyes¡ªsometimes bright and sometimes dark¡ªforced people to avert their gazes from unknown depths. The subtle brush of skin against bodies¡ªhairy, scaly, or thumping, squishy flesh¡ªmade people scrub their hands raw, but a phantom sensation always remained. And the cries, oh the cries. Little clicks in your ears, buzzes and screeches that began as low hums but which became a cacophony of sound echoing madly without end¡­ They were sounds so far removed from anything people knew, so alien, so terrifying that their skin crawled and itched and sent shudders running unbidden down spines.

    An innate aversion and yet¡ª

    Why were people so afraid of them? Why did they see a weak, unassuming Bug crawling along the ground and feel the desire to trample it?

    It was because people naturally feared that which they did not understand. There was something so indescribably unfamiliar about Bugs that it rattled their very beings.

    That something was a monstrous desire to live.

    Every creature wanted to stay alive, humans included, but their will to live would forever pale in comparison to that of a Bug¡¯s.

    Bugs started off weaker than anyone else. To compensate for their pitiful place behind life¡¯s starting line, they could grow faster than anyone else. They could even become more powerful than anyone else, but if they did not grow sufficiently strong fast enough, then¡ª

    They were likely to die sooner than anyone else, too.

    That was why Bugs never stopped fighting. They never stopped struggling. No matter what the world thought, no matter how people looked at them, Bugs never faltered or strayed. They did whatever it took to survive.

    Bugs, above all others, possessed the most overwhelming tenacity.

    My surroundings simultaneously faded away and turned crystal clear all at once. The morning sun became a rising dot on the horizon. Golden rays peeked through gaps in buildings and cast their dappled glow on the beaten, rundown field we stood upon. Wind whistling below the underpass became murmurs in my ears. So did introductory remarks from Burgh, the man who was here more as a witness than a referee.

    I didn¡¯t pay attention to any of it. Gold eyes stared analytically out across the field to where a lone woman stood with a hard expression.

    Everyone I fought before in the past always said the same thing about me.

    True to my reputation as a Bug Specialist, I unnerved them. In what was surely ironic, the way I looked during fights was as if I was picking my opponent apart piece by piece¡ªlike they were a Bug.

    Sierra Brooks.

    She was prideful. She was a woman who couldn¡¯t accept defeat and tried to take back what was hers, but she had returned home long ago in failure, not triumph. I was strong. I could confidently claim so. That did not mean I underestimated my opponent. Someone like her, someone like Sierra Brooks whose passions had once burned brightly for the Unova she believed in¡ªno, she would not have idled her years away. She would not have let the Fire within her and her team become complete cinders.

    Becoming the Castelia Gym Leader was nigh impossible for Sierra now. She knew that, and yet she was still unwilling to go down without a fight. There was a difference between pride and arrogance.

    The flames she wielded were now pointed at me.

    We would probably never understand or come to terms with each other, but that didn¡¯t matter. This was Unova. Every person fought for their beliefs and tried to make them a reality.

    One and only one word left my mouth in a murmur, and it was meant for the Pokeballs on my belt. They listened. As much as this was a battle born from our opponent¡¯s pride, it had been born from ours, too.

    We had never been afraid of Fire.

    ¡°Endure,¡± I told them.

    Metallic spheres flew through the air. From the ensuing red light, two different forms emerged. I stared at a small, simian Pokemon half my height slouching lazily on the other side of the field. The Simisear¡¯s lips curled into a mischievous smile as he flexed his fingers. For the briefest of moments, his flame-like tufts and tail glowed like wood burning in a fireplace.

    My Bug was only a little shorter than her Simisear. Kricketune stood with perfect posture, but he went a step further. He tucked his arms in and bowed in preparation for his upcoming recital. In most cases, it would have been a show of respect for his opponent.

    Not today. He bowed to an unseen audience instead.

    When Kricketune rose, I knew a quiet fury lurked within his deceptively small frame. I could not see his face, but I saw his back. Twitching wings betrayed his otherwise calm demeanor.

    A Simisear was not what I expected Sierra to lead with, but I didn¡¯t particularly care. She, on the other hand, was visibly bothered by my choice. From here, I could see both the way she frowned and how her shoulders grew more rigid with tension. She was disappointed, upset, wary. I thought I knew why.

    Sierra had expected someone else¡ªthe Sun.

    Keep being unsettled. Keep wondering.

    Neither of us paid attention to the layers of psychic shields going up around the field.

    Neither of us heard Burgh counting down.

    Neither of us saw him raise an arm.

    Instead, I focused on the familiar thrill that coursed through me. It told me I was alive. My lips stretched wide in a maniacal smile without me knowing.

    Try trampling a Bug. You¡¯ll find it¡¯s not easy at all.

    The world was still for only a moment.

    Then a thin hand sliced through the air, and it signaled the beginning of the end.

    The early morn saw the emergence of a second sun. Where a single star hung distantly in the sky, a second hurtled upwards to join it, but it could only fly so far. The ball of superheated plasma was forced to hit the highest point within the field¡¯s psychic constraints. Its bright, boiling mass howled out annoyance in the form of crackling winds. Heat from the Sunny Day warped the air and strengthened the one who had called for it.

    Flames, intense and sweltering, were then expelled from Simisear¡¯s fur.

    Boosted by sun and fed by warm winds, they exploded outwards in all-consuming rage. The roar of the inferno and the crackling from the plasmic entity hanging overhead worked together to drown everything out. They tried to.

    ¡°Extinguish.¡±

    A lone musician on the doorstep of hell still heard me.

    Long, blade-like arms moved before the third syllable left my mouth. Antennae flicked upwards. Kricketune¡¯s gray eyes glowed¡ªan indication of power being channeled from within¡ªand with a sudden, sharp motion, he slammed his arms together ceremoniously. The sound they made upon contact was anything but.

    A high-pitched screech louder than even the raging sun pierced the air. Those present who were attuned to the Bug type had no qualms with its familiar song, but to foes, it rattled them. It shook their souls.

    It was the scream of a Bug who wished to live.

    Another screech coming from Kricketune¡¯s vibrating antennae compounded the initial noise to unbearable levels. The roaring flames that came rushing in with greed petered out from massive, amplified soundwaves. Faster than any fire, faster than either Sierra or her Pokemon could react, the soundwaves crossed the length of the field in the blink of an eye and found the one responsible for their fury.

    A new and very different scream rang out, this one torn from the throat of Simisear.

    ¡°Armor! Flame Burst!¡± Sierra shouted, fighting to be heard over the din. ¡°Strike it down!¡±

    Simisear tried to follow her order. He really did, but the thing about Bug type energy was that it overwhelmed.

    Bugs were anomalies in every sense of the word. When people encountered something they feared or didn¡¯t understand, they stuttered in place. The brain tried its best to process foreign stimuli, but it could only handle so much before it became overloaded with too much information¡ªjust like Simisear now.

    Sound leaking with Bug type energy racked his entire brain. Simisear reached for a wall, a boulder, any surface that could offer some semblance of support, but there were none. Outstretched fingers grasped empty air instead as the simian Pokemon stumbled, mind flooded with the cries of seemingly a thousand.

    Bugs were the best at instilling anxiety and a pervasive sense of discomfort.

    ¡°Swords Dance. Charge,¡± I ordered.

    Light that rivaled the two suns in the sky overtook Kricketune¡¯s arms. He raised one in front of him like a knight of old wielding an imperial sword. Thrumming with a song of life, the gleaming blade sharpened at his will. His antennae kept vibrating and flooding the field with noise, but they had to do all the work now that Kricketune¡¯s arms became weapons.

    Dropping the Bug Buzz¡¯s potency by half meant it was far less overwhelming¡ªenough for Fire to naturally devour that which dared to defy it. With much struggle, Simisear seized what remained of his sanity and howled. Flames coated every inch of his body like living armor. Particularly his head and ears, they were the most well protected with a crown of fire as if to keep out further mental disruption. Simisear¡¯s facial features were still twisted with unease from the buzzing in the background, but he forced his shaking body still.

    Kricketune had already taken flight. Half the field was set ablaze from the previous storm of flames, and so he soared above. Small, black wings fluttered rapidly as he flew with purpose.

    It was an act of folly to fly into danger, one might have said, like a Mothim drawn to flames.

    Fingers flexed. Sparks flashed. The swirling, tufted fur that made up Simisear¡¯s head and tail ignited with a roar, and out came misshapen orbs of fire that flew at random through the air. Each one was a howling, screaming mass of flames that threatened to explode on impact.

    Kricketune picked up speed. When the first of many fireballs came inches from his face, his arm blurred faster than the eye could follow. It vibrated.

    Embers scattered into nothing as the fireball was cleaved in two.

    Undaunted and free, the Bug continued flying into the thick of flaming missiles. Every swing of his arms drew beautiful arcs in the air and left afterimages of light more brilliant than any star. One after another, each ill omen of death was cut cleanly with blades that sang of vitality.

    The clash was inevitably near. Sierra and I barked commands at the same time.

    ¡°Combat!¡±

    ¡°Rondo!¡±

    Scarlet flames solidified themselves into the shape of a short spear, one that Simisear raised in front of him not a moment too soon. Kricketune came crashing down from above with glowing arms at the ready. The moment weapon met weapon, sparks imbued with green hues mixed with cinders, and they flew among countless parries like fading stars.

    Simisear was more dexterous than he seemed, I calmly noted, but where the Fire type trumped him in terms of power, Kricketune had far more skill. People who fought this particular member of my team so often underestimated him because of his small size, but he ceaselessly refined and polished his techniques.

    Antennae vibrated with renewed intensity. The buzzing got louder. This close up, not even the fiery armor Simisear protected himself with could stop his mind from fraying at the seams, and it showed every time the Fire type hesitated when wielding his spear.

    Kricketune saw those moments when Simisear¡¯s mind stuttered and punished him for it.

    He spun, he twisted, he lunged, he danced. Kricketune was but a step away from intense fire, but he leaned fearlessly into the close combat. His bladed arms carried the weight of his will, an art he had perfected and made his own through Technician. Swords bore down on Simisear in a mesmerizing display, weaving in and out and gaining speed as they sliced.

    Each cut was sharper than the last, and they stacked.

    Darkness penetrated the fire first, sucking away heat and leaving shadows spilling from slash marks in Simisear¡¯s skin. They created lasting gaps in the armor, ones that Kricketune did not hesitate to layer with a dozen more cuts, and these oozed with something completely different. Particles tinged with green hues infiltrated the opponent''s body through the surface wounds. They invaded.

    Not even gluttonous internal flames could stop their overwhelming numbers. Simisear¡¯s movements turned more and more sluggish as his mind was left with an increasing sense of wrongness. The Sunny Day hanging high above started to dim and fade away.

    ¡°BURN!¡±

    Sierra¡¯s yell barely managed to prompt Simisear into unleashing flames from every part of his body. Some burned Kricketune¡¯s stomach, but most were extinguished by a concentrated soundwave produced from bladed arms snapping together. There was no pause, not for this dance.

    Kricketune spun to the left and sliced anew. His swords shredded through armor and littered Simisear with a thousand different cuts.

    He didn¡¯t stop even when Simisear¡¯s eyes snapped wide open.

    The signs were subtle, but they were there. A body that glowed as if it was made from cinders and dark eyes that flashed with an ominous red hue. Through all the madness injected into his mind, a more primal instinct made its appearance.

    We had cut and cut some more, and now Blaze had come out.

    Sierra¡¯s lips curled into a smile.

    ¡°Burn,¡± she repeated her earlier command.

    White-hot flames exploded outwards from Simisear without warning.

    They were so bright that I had to close my eyes, but I still could see light behind my eyelids. The sound of something shattering echoed in my ears¡ªprobably one of the psychic shield layers around the field¡ªas well as telltale soundwaves from Kricketune. I opened my eyes only when I heard the sounds of fighting resume. Dark spots in my vision had to be repeatedly blinked and chased away before I could see in full again.

    The psychic barrier had been repaired already. As for the field, well¡­ if it had been scorched before, then it was completely unrecognizable now. Half-molten earth sizzled and steamed, but my eyes focused on those still fighting. I smiled.

    Bugs were good at surviving.

    Kricketune was smoking all over with burns, but he had known Blaze was coming and mitigated the worst of it with sound. His body also glimmered with protective Bug type energy that seemed to crawl over his body like thousands of little insects, and they made it distinctly uncomfortable for outsiders to look at him straight on. With ever graceful, lively movements, he danced around Simisear and kept slashing. Fists lit ablaze with flames bigger than anything we¡¯d seen all day swung left and right at him.

    ¡°Again¡ª¡±

    Kricketune didn¡¯t let Sierra finish. The finale to this dance had been a long time coming.

    With a grand, sweeping flourish, he jabbed one of his arms in Simisear¡¯s direction. A wickedly sharp needle, about the length of a human finger, manifested from the tip and was plunged into Simisear¡¯s incoming fist with pinpoint accuracy. The resounding reverberations made Simisear¡¯s whole body shake violently as if he was having a seizure, courtesy of an extra dose of information overload injected directly into his bloodstream. There was a strangled yell, but it cut off midway.

    Kricketune silently pulled his blade out. Then and only then was Simisear allowed to fall.

    ¡°Simisear is unable¡ª¡±

    Sierra didn¡¯t let Burgh get more than a few words out. Fury was written all over her face as she returned her fallen Pokemon. So much for respecting battle etiquette and old customs. She was too engrossed in the duel right now to care.

    Then again, so was I.

    She was quick to swap fighters but not fast enough. In that short gap, Kricketune had whetted his swords once more, and now his arms were almost too radiant for a mortal to dare look at. When I whistled, he stuck one of them into the ground and covered both it and his feet with energy so they wouldn¡¯t burn from scorched earth. The swords hummed even more loudly with power and the song of life.

    They cried for a second opponent to cut down, and that came in the form of our newest contender.

    It was another Pokemon native to Unova, a bipedal creature whose body glowed like molten lava. Steam hissed upwards from a pipe-like tail. A Heatmor. He reared his head back, but we snatched the initiative away from him.

    Powerful soundwaves emitting from a certain point of origin¡ªthe vibrating arm Kricketune had jabbed into the floor¡ªflew through the ground at insane speeds.

    They tore the whole field apart.

    Chunks of burning, smoking earth were blown sky-high. Heatmor himself was slammed back into the psychic wall so hard that it cracked. When he fell to the ground, so did the rocks and half-melted dirt caught up in the initial blast. They ricocheted off the psychic ceiling and came crashing back down to earth. Between all the smoke and debris kicked up, I barely made out Heatmor being buried underneath their craggy folds.

    ¡°Buzz!¡± I said sharply, having a good idea of what was coming.

    Sierra did not disappoint. Her order almost overlapped with mine. ¡°Whips!¡±

    The mountain of rubble was still for only a moment.

    Then countless lines glowing with faint heat appeared around its outer facade, and the whole thing was sliced apart into ribbons. Heatmor emerged with a fearsome bellow. Dozens of crimson, flaming whips flew out from his mouth, each controlled with a surprising amount of fine precision like they were extensions of the body, and each heading for the same target.

    A grating soundwave came blaring outwards from Kricketune¡¯s scraping arms, but they couldn¡¯t smother everything.

    ¡°Wide!¡± Sierra snapped.

    She had learned from the first time. Instead of a sea of flames, there were lashing vines spread out in the air that Kricketune had to deal with. The ones furthest from the blast zone snaked left and right. One more concentrated Bug Buzz demolished another section, but Kricketune had to hold off on a third when the whips finally converged on him. He hacked and slashed with glittering blades instead. Each severed flame let out a loud, popping hiss, but as fast as Kricketune cut with his arms, there were far too many to get rid of. Dozens upon dozens.

    One cut across his chest. Two struck the back of his head while another lashed his underbelly. Flames even licked hungrily at his vulnerable wings, but Kricketune beat them rapidly without looking. Sky-blue energy gathered at his wingtips and flew out in short slashes to cleave the flames.

    Tolerable but still annoying.

    ¡°Earth Song again,¡± I commanded.

    ¡°Shape! Storm!¡± Sierra shouted a little after me.

    With incredible dexterity, Kricketune fended off the rest of the whips with one arm and stabbed the other into the ground. Almost right before the Bug sent soundwaves catapulting through fractured earth, Heatmor spun the remaining fire whips into dizzying speeds around Kricketune. They morphed into rising walls of flame.

    The field screamed again¡ªthis time on both ends.

    Earth was churned up and spat back out into the air violently. Sound rippled and swam, and it traveled too fast for Heatmor to react. He took the brunt of massive soundwaves and hit the psychic barrier with a boom again. The trails of fire extending from his long snout finally cut off, but they¡¯d long transformed.

    Whips born from the ravenous inner flames of a Heatmor had weaved themselves into an utter inferno of raging flames. They soared as high as the ceiling, but more importantly, they trapped Kricketune within. The tornado was fast, hot, and powerful enough that it instantly melted the ground underneath its destructive form and distorted the air from heat¡ªa storm worthy of any Fire Specialist. Everything burned away like ashes in the wind.

    One only had to listen to realize there was no cry of lament, no scream of agony or pain.

    Above roaring flames, above the thuds of rocks shifting in place as a disoriented Heatmor got up and clawed at his muddled brain, there was the smallest hum.

    It should have been impossible to hear it above the storm, but it was there¡ªa quiet, rhythmic, constant hum. Barely above a whisper, yet it wormed its way into the mind. Louder than any thoughts or a strong, pulsing heartbeat, it stayed there like an itch you couldn¡¯t quite scratch. It only took a moment for it to grow exponentially.

    It only took a moment for the spinning tornado to be extinguished.

    Screeching. A lot of it, and the sound was far worse than nails raking down a chalkboard. It was so intense that eardrums might have ruptured if not for psychic shields to help mute sounds, but inside was a different matter. Soundwaves more powerful than anything displayed so far blasted out in all directions from the tornado¡¯s focal point, and they made the flames dissipate like they had never existed.

    Between small, glowing embers that fluttered through the air like dying fireflies, a terrifying figure hovered mid-air above superheated earth.

    Fire was unforgiving. Kricketune¡¯s body was covered with horrific burns from top to bottom, some so deep that they¡¯d penetrated his exoskeleton to more vulnerable flesh below. Parts of his feelers were gone. Antennae had been cooked until they turned a scorched black, and they remained attached to his head by precarious threads.

    He could have burned alive, but Kricketune didn¡¯t.

    He survived.

    Despite all the excruciating pain, he bore with it and endured.

    Thousands of glowing, squirming bugs too small for the eye to properly make out crawled around his body. They filled in for missing skin and flesh, and they would cling there until he got medical attention. In spite of his wounded, battered body, Kricketune wore a disconcerting smile. His dark eyes glimmered with a hint of madness. Green light emanated from him in the form of a faint mist, but Swarm was not the true source of all the constant buzzing.

    That came from Kricketune himself.

    His antennae were in tatters and the broken strings on his body could not be strummed, but he could still sing an unnerving song with his soul. Just looking at the Bug was enough to fill the beholder with deep-rooted fear and a sense of dread.

    The rules of this match had been deliberately chosen more so by me than Sierra. No switch-ins meant there was nowhere to run. It was a way to screw over opponents, yes, but the same applied to one¡¯s own team.

    With your back up against the wall, the only thing you could do was keep fighting. You had to toe the line between life and death.

    You had to make a stand.

    And Bugs thrived in that kind of environment. They fought back harder than anyone else under pressure.

    Whatever Sierra barked to her Pokemon, it was lost in the noise. So were my own words.

    ¡°Show them what a Bug is.¡±

    Kricketune tore across the air with singed wings and ceaseless, disturbing buzzing that overtook the whole arena.

    They made it hard to think, a fact apparent from how Heatmor had to bash his own head with a clawed hand two times before his body deigned to listen to him. The little streaks of red and molten amber across his body glowed like lava about to burst. With a jerky motion, he reared his head back and expelled the flames that been building up inside him. Out came trails of fire, but while these whips were fewer in number than the previous wave, they were far bigger.

    They also exploded.

    Each whip that raced and screamed through the sky like dying comets voluntarily split off at the end. They detonated mid-air when they got close enough. Wings sparked with blue from an Aerial Ace, one that propelled Kricketune even faster. Most of the explosions missed their mark, but there were some that popped front and center, and they burned more of Kricketune¡¯s skin away.

    He didn¡¯t stop flying. Dark eyes stared unnervingly at their target without blinking.

    ¡°Incinerate!¡± Sierra yelled.

    Kricketune got there before the fire even formed in Heatmor¡¯s throat.

    Light flashed, and swords sang as they cut through the air. Their song was one of an undying Bug and its Swarm.

    One single swing was enough to elicit a painful scream. A second made a Pokemon as heavy as Heatmor crash to the floor from the impact, but Kricketune followed him. His sharpened blades descended without mercy.

    Frenzied and yet boasting perfect rhythm, they left gash after gash on the fallen anteater. Each was powerful enough to draw blood and spill inner flames. Little bugs made of green energy slipped inside the wounds carved on Heatmor¡¯s body and burrowed around. The whole time, incessant buzzing permeated the air and simply wouldn¡¯t stop. Neither did Kricketune.

    Heatmor thrashed, punched, screamed. Fire and smoke came out in endless amounts from his snout and tail, blasting the Bug clinging to him, but Kricketune never stopped moving his arms. He let the writhing, insect-like things on his body shimmer with energy that acted as a shield against Heatmor¡¯s flames. When the fire proved too much and burned more of his skin off, Kricketune was content to let the bugs scuttle into wounds and fill them up.

    He kept slashing like a damn zombie¡ªone that wouldn¡¯t die even when flames cooked him from the outside.

    Fire would always hurt, but my Bugs knew how to endure. They had suffered through hotter flames. They had spent years training with the Sun.

    To be a Bug was to defy every odd and live.

    Here and now, that monstrous will manifested itself for all to see.

    Two arms¡ªsinged and beaten, but forever shining with a pure light¡ªcrossed themselves in one final blow. Stars sparkled along their bladed edges for a brief moment in time.

    Silent, radiant light was then expelled at point-blank range in the form of a giant X.

    The explosion when it engulfed Heatmor shook the field and rattled psychic barriers. Hazy smoke obscured my vision, but I knew what Heatmor¡¯s state was long before it settled. The Pokemon¡¯s body was hardly recognizable given all the gouges and scorch marks inflicted on him. A few faceless bugs darted out from open wounds now that their duty was done. Compared to Simisear, Heatmor had been subjected to a lot worse.

    Kricketune was faring only marginally better. His body was a charred, tattered mess that was more flesh than color at this point. Nothing I was too worried about. My Bugs had bounced back from far worse before. Though I was well aware Kricketune still had fight in him, he wasn¡¯t going to last much longer.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    We¡¯d still proved our point. I had to focus my eyes, but I smiled when I saw Sierra¡¯s face contort into an ugly expression. I probably looked a bit unhinged.

    Two Pokemon downed by one filthy Bug or so I imagined her to be thinking right now.

    These Bugs had climbed to the top of the food chain and never stopped struggling. She¡¯d overjudged the moment she issued a challenge, but there was nothing to be done. Leading with Kricketune of all Pokemon had been a conscious decision on my part to put the first few cracks in her pride.

    Did that deter her? No.

    Fire was ever burning and ever seeking, and Sierra was known for being the type of trainer who ramped up instead of down.

    Heatmor went out, and fighter number three came in. It was the final form of one of Unova¡¯s regional starters, ones bred and given in limited quantities to the best and brightest young trainers every year.

    This massive, heavy Emboar was released only a short distance away from Kricketune, and it was because he wanted to pack a punch¡ªliterally.

    Right out of the gate, he launched a surprise right hook full of searing flames. Tiny insects buzzed to life around Kricketune¡¯s body as he darted back, but the passing heat was still strong enough to completely sear through the first layer of his living shield. Kricketune knew as well as I did that he was running out of steam, so he opted for doing as much damage as possible before the inevitable.

    He plunged both arms into the ground this time and blew up the field.

    Layers of burning earth and solid rocks hidden underneath flew everywhere with loud booms, but Emboar was heavy. The soundwaves Kricketune blasted didn¡¯t so much damage him physically as they did mentally. Grunting, Emboar made himself work through the uncomfortable feeling spreading in his mind. The hulking Fire type hammered his feet into the fracturing ground. Once anchored, he smashed flying debris out of his face and took the first opening he got. He was naturally slow, but he built up fire around himself and charged. Every step quaked the earth as if he was an incoming freight truck.

    Kricketune barely managed to pull out his arms and stab Emboar¡¯s chest with them. It was the closing act to his recital. A fist dancing with flames smashed into his vulnerable stomach, and the Bug went flying backwards from the impact. Part of his stomach was caved in even after shielding himself with concentrated type energy¡ªan indication that Emboar was clearly as powerful in close combat as he looked. I quickly returned my unconscious Pokemon before he rolled to a halt. In one smooth, fluid motion, I reattached it to my belt and tossed out another Pokeball without hesitation.

    I saw it again. Sierra¡¯s body posture grew more rigid as she watched the capsule fly, wondering if it was finally time.

    She bit her lip when she realized it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Build,¡± I ordered.

    High up in the air, an arachnid Pokemon native to Unova made her presence known.

    Electricity crackled underneath Galvantula¡¯s feet as she ran through empty air at astonishing speeds, a feat second only to the massive quantity of silk she spat out. It split into countless strands and flew up, down, sideways, and in every direction as if it had a will of its own. In mere seconds, the entire psychic box enclosing the field had lines of thick webbing that connected one surface to another. Beautiful silk hummed with powerful electricity and a greenish hue.

    The sky was a hazard zone, but so was the destroyed arena. Galvantula was good at multitasking, and she¡¯d deployed an Electric Terrain the moment she came out. Sparks flew in between sizzling boulders, and some of them rose slightly into the air from magnetism. The electricity coursing through cratered earth jumped erratically and zapped whatever it could find¡ªnamely Emboar.

    ¡°Blitz Combat!¡± Sierra shouted. She sounded noticeably more irritated now that my second Pokemon had been revealed. ¡°Take down the webbing first!¡±

    Every part of Emboar¡¯s body lit up with scarlet flames, but none more so than the wreath he wore around his neck. It flared the brightest¡ª

    And then all the flames sputtered as if someone had doused them with water.

    Kricketune had left a little parting gift before he made his exit. The arms he¡¯d stabbed Emboar with had injected darkness from Night Slash. Kricketune was no Dark type, but he was still proficient enough with the move to buy a few seconds. The void that had spilled inside Emboar¡¯s body was so vast, so empty that shadows temporarily severed the connection between the Fire type and his inner type energy reserves. He roared with frustration and flexed his arms.

    Nothing. The fire coating his body continued flickering in and out of existence.

    ¡°Acid.¡±

    Galvantula scuttled down her webbing and spat out a wave of light, sparkling liquid that looked more like water than actual poison. Emboar tried to burn it, but what he got was a bucket full of acid because weak embers came out of his fist instead. It wasn¡¯t there to deal damage¡ªalthough it did sting a little and melt some patches of fur off¡ªbut to give him some internal problems. The Gastro Acid seeped through his skin and started corroding the flames Emboar had deep within him, the ones that grew stronger in times of adversity.

    It was now that the residual Dark type energy inside Emboar finally dispersed, and he lit himself ablaze with a roar. The first thing he did was smash both fists together with heat and one-two punch the closest piece of webbing.

    The moment it caught on fire, it screamed.

    Bug type energy had been layered inside of it, and both it and the electricity were working overtime to fortify all the silk. Fire rapidly spread and burned, but the webbing managed to hold on. It had been infused with the will to survive.

    Sierra gnashed her teeth together. ¡°Heat Crash.¡±

    ¡°Give them some help,¡± I offered slyly.

    Flames covered Emboar to the point where his body couldn¡¯t be seen anymore. Thick, powerful muscles bunched in preparation for a jump, but he didn¡¯t have to try so hard.

    Electricity roared to life underneath him, tore out the earth, and catapulted both him and the ground he stood on into the web. The living fireball known as Emboar flailed wildly as his fingers and feet sought purchase. More webbing burst into flames in the process. Eventually, he stopped his sudden flight by grabbing part of the web and yanking himself to a stop.

    The silk didn¡¯t break under his weight¡ªit was as strong as any steel.

    I could practically see the gears spinning in Sierra¡¯s mind as she wondered what I was up to. Ultimately, she seemed to believe she could blow through it.

    ¡°Ignite!¡± she roared.

    It was hard to tell through all the fiery armor, but Emboar grabbed a separate strand of silk with his other hand. He didn¡¯t flinch even when electricity zapped his body. The entire web trembled from his herculean strength. Scarlet flames hissed and turned white as he flared brighter than the sun, getting ready to expel everything he had¡ª

    ¡°Boom,¡± I ordered, preemptively closing my eyes and turning my head away.

    Back when Emboar went on his little flight trip, Galvantula had darted off into an isolated corner of the psychic ceiling where she built a fortified silk dome for herself. She bunkered down inside the small structure and listened for vibrations through a single string connected to the larger web. The instant she heard rather than saw Emboar begin to blast out flames as if he was a furnace, she cut the string off and screeched out a command. All the electricity in the ground traveled up the webbing and amplified the existing currents. Silk everywhere turned a vibrant green.

    Then the storm of hell came rushing out of Emboar.

    Electricity was raw energy and movement. Unbound. Unstable. What happened when it was strengthened by the overwhelming tenacity of Bug type energy? What happened when all of that clashed with selfish, destructive Fire?

    They couldn¡¯t coexist, not in harmony at least. Something had to give.

    Everything exploded. Everything.

    Shrieking¡ª

    Howling¡ª

    Rushing winds burst forth complete with hot, suffocating smoke and light brighter than any plasmic entity. If my gaze was still on the field, I might have likened it to a firework show but a hundred times worse. Every single part of the web blew up in response to oppressive flames. I couldn¡¯t hear anything else above all the explosions. They would have been enough to make my ears bleed if I wasn¡¯t outside the psychic barrier. As it was, they left me with intense ringing instead.

    I swung my head back when the explosions petered out.

    Smoke still obscured the battlefield, but there was enough visibility that I could see Galvantula darting down the side of the barrier. Her stronghold up on the ceiling¡ªnow a burning mess¡ªhad served its purpose and burned away. So had her massive web. Nothing remained of it.

    Emboar, at least, was still alive and kicking¡ªa point he drove home by rushing out of the smoke wreathed in a cocoon of flames. He was panting, bleeding, and battered from all the explosions, but he was not a bulky Pokemon for nothing. His biggest asset¡ªthe inner flames that blazed to life when he grew weaker¡ªwere out of the picture at least. Little droplets of poison still ran deep within him, and they suppressed the Blaze that should have activated.

    It looked like Emboar was going to charge straight into the barrier, but I knew that couldn¡¯t be it.

    ¡°Shields! Buzz!¡± I called.

    Case in point, jets of fire suddenly blasted from Emboar¡¯s feet and sent him flying through the air at startling speeds. A spurt of electricity went up around Galvantula¡ªlayers of electric shields¡ªalong with a rippling sheen of energy that gave her thick fur an emerald hue. Clicks turned into powerful buzzes as she scuttled away through the air, but Emboar faltered for only a moment from the soundwaves.

    ¡°Propel!¡±

    Another burst of heat, and Emboar changed directions. He rocketed through the air and crashed recklessly into Galvantula shoulder-first. He didn¡¯t need Blaze; he was already strong enough. A pained scream left the arachnid as explosive fire and hard skin alike tore through her shielding. They scorched her abdomen, oozing pale blood, and Sierra seized the opportunity¡ª

    ¡°BLITZ!¡± she yelled.

    ¡ªbut Emboar stuttered in place. Being this close to a Bug, especially a Galvantula, was never a good idea. Multiple blue eyes glared at the piglike Pokemon and forced both his muscles and mind to lock up from their innate ability.

    The unnerved Emboar began to fall from gravity. Galvantula watched him go and screeched vengefully.

    Thunder, huge and deafening, fell down on his head.

    Guttural screams and violent spasms continued until the moment Emboar hit the messed up field below. Galvantula didn¡¯t wait to see what had become of him. Conjured insects started crawling over her body and slotting themselves into her torn, bleeding flesh.

    As they did that, a string of red light shot toward the field and recalled Emboar¡¯s hidden form. Sierra must have had better visibility from her vantage point. Though she was down three to one, the most she showed on her face was a defiant scowl. She didn¡¯t hesitate with her fourth pick. A humanoid Pokemon that matched Emboar in height took to the field.

    Whatever battle-crazy grin I had probably grew enough to split my face in two.

    It was a Magmortar, imported and evolved from Kanto-Johto in all likelihood. I¡¯d always wanted to fight one. Magmar were rare on this side of the world and their evolution rarer still on a global scale, even.

    To think it was Sierra who offered me the opportunity on a silver platter, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers.

    Simply standing around was enough to heat the air around Magmortar to unbearable levels and warp it. The ground beneath his feet hissed and sizzled. Out of all the Pokemon Sierra had chosen so far, this one had the most dangerous internal body temperature.

    Long range. On the move.

    I even said as much out loud to Galvantula.

    This was not going to be a battle of attrition, definitely not. No, this was going to be¡ª

    ¡°Columns!¡± Sierra commanded.

    This was going to be a quick and explosive battle to see who broke first.

    Heat surged through Magmortar¡¯s feet and destroyed the ground.

    Erratic, pulsing, uncontrollable geysers tore through screaming earth one after the other. Fire transformed into vengeful lava. After every match-up, the field had been wrecked and made unrecognizable all over again, but now it had truly become a hellscape of its own. Lava spilled onto the ground turning it a smoldering red where everything melted away. Pillars of it blew sky-high and turned white at the ends from intense heat.

    Through all the eruptions, a yellow spider flew nimbly in and out of splattering lava. Electricity coiled around her legs and made it seem like Galvantula was swimming through air. She concentrated briefly, a glow overtaking her body, and then she raced infinitely faster away from columns coming for her.

    ¡°Bolt!¡±

    Even in all the chaos, compound eyes still found their mark. He was half-hidden between chunks of upturned earth, but Galvantula easily fired a powerful bolt with pinpoint accuracy through the narrow gap.

    My eyes narrowed when it seemingly fizzled out inches away from Magmortar.

    He hadn¡¯t outwardly moved. Had to be the heat he expelled then. If I had to guess, the immediate air around him was acting like a lightning rod zone. Electrical charges weren¡¯t so much phasing out of existence than they were being forcibly diverted into the ground. Magmortar¡¯s body temperature was insane enough that he could raise it even further to manage such a feat.

    But something like that took conscious effort, and he could not divert everything.

    ¡°Cannons!¡± Sierra roared.

    ¡°Field, Overload, Green Thunder!¡± I yelled without pause.

    Yellow-green sparks crackled to life around the shifting field of lava at the same time that a titan finally moved. With a sinister smile, he snapped barrel-like arms together out in front of him and angled his body to the left.

    Heat swelled inside cannons before he fired.

    Fireballs¡ªshrill blue flames condensed into deadly projectiles¡ªhurtled through the air with endless bangs. They left rapidly flickering, warped air in their wake, and they screamed for violence. Just one of those would be enough to severely wound or kill more fragile Pokemon. The only reason Sierra and her Pokemon used such lethal firepower in this match was because she believed a Pokemon of Galvantula¡¯s caliber wouldn¡¯t outright die¡ªflattering, I supposed.

    Galvantula jumped away from three fireballs that came in rapid succession. They pelted the psychic barrier far behind her instead and shattered it completely, forcing Burgh¡¯s Orbeetle to quickly repair the innermost layer.

    They didn¡¯t only rock the entire field from ensuing collisions but combusted. Solidified flames ricocheted everywhere like stray shrapnel, and the air quickly became a hellzone where Galvantula had to continuously run. It was because Magmortar kept firing without a care. That didn¡¯t mean Galvantula only ran.

    No, with electricity pulsing along the ground and empowering her, she fired back Thunders like nobody¡¯s business.

    Booming, cacophonous thunder beamed down while she dashed around the sky. Mixed with emerald hues and brilliant specks of golden light, they struck one after another like hammers from the gods. These didn¡¯t fizzle out like the Thunderbolt had but were more visibly redirected into the ground. Still, they were powerful enough that Magmortar had to work for it.

    Each Thunder didn¡¯t come with only a deafening clap or boom but a primal screech that sent soundwaves rippling every time they hit. The Bug Buzz mixed inside them would have disrupted Magmortar¡¯s brain, so he had to double the intensity of his inner fire to keep out the mental pain.

    It meant he was burning through his reserves twice as fast to keep up.

    He tried to run around at some point to make himself harder to hit, but that was useless against a Galvantula. Compound eyes would always seek out a large, slow target like him without fail.

    Once more: this was a quick and explosive battle to see who broke first.

    Thunders still dropped from the sky onto Magmortar. He was tiring as fast as my Bug.

    As fast as Galvantula was, there was too much going on for her to outrun everything. Lava sprayed when it hit the psychic ceiling and melted patches of fur. All the heat in the air made steam rise from her body as bright fur began to burn.

    Most damning of all were Magmortar¡¯s bread and butter: his fireballs. When they hit, they hurt.

    One smashed into Galvantula¡¯s back leg and scorched it black. The only reason it remained in one piece was because the spider was protecting her whole body with electric and bug type energy, but they couldn¡¯t hold off flames as powerful as these forever. A second fireball followed up and ripped her leg clean from her body. Yellow blood sprayed everywhere.

    Another smashed into her abdomen where Emboar had left a previous burn, and the fire dug deep and cooked flesh.

    Another, another, and another¡ª

    She burned. She bled. Even when she lost another leg, Galvantula kept going by forcing electricity to carry her through the sky. Tiny, dark insects swarmed over her wounds and missing legs, and they filled in. She looked horrific.

    Still, bright eyes never lost the will to live¡ªthey hardened.

    And the moment a fireball destroyed a part of her abdomen, the moment droplets of blood went flying again and her body surged with green aura from Swarm¡ª

    ¡°Overload!¡±

    Galvantula screamed and gave back twice as much as she got.

    The ground crackled at her command.

    Every emerald Thunder that she¡¯d fired, every single Thunder that Magmortar had meticulously redirected into the cratered ground that couldn¡¯t tolerate any more currents¡ª

    The mixed Electric and Bug Terrain, long fed and bursting at the seams with unbridled power, now released everything it had onto the being that had inadvertently nourished it.

    The world flashed white.

    Blinding. Ears ringing.

    The roar of mighty thunder never seemed to end.

    After what seemed like an eternity, it finally did.

    There was nothing but scorched, molten earth and pools of glowing lava. Magmortar lay half-submerged in one, but even a bath wasn¡¯t enough to revitalize him. He had become a smoking, charred husk darker than any coal¡ªcooked and mentally frayed by a Bug¡¯s specialty Thunders.

    Galvantula weakly gripped one of the walls with sticky feet. Even though she was missing chunks of her body and bleeding everywhere, she screeched victoriously.

    Magmortar was the first to break while Galvantula clung to life like the monster she was.

    And for the first time, Sierra wavered after recalling her Pokemon.

    Two Bugs had proven they could survive through any pain and Fire that her Pokmeon could inflict on them. Two Bugs had proven they were not merely insects but living horrors.

    But Fire could not burn out without repercussions.

    If the woman standing over there wavered any longer, her flames would possibly die forever. So, to her credit, she squared her shoulders and pressed onward. It was the only path she could take.

    Red light beamed outward. The field seemingly darkened with the appearance of a half-Ghost, a Chandelure whose flames swayed side-to-side in the air with hypnotic motions.

    ¡°Shades, floor, Spin!¡± Sierra barked.

    Five different clones came out of Chandelure, but these faceless apparitions were mixed with scarlet flames that morphed into color¡ªFire created as much as it could destroy, and I reckoned these became illusions so real that they were given shape and power just like the real Chandelure. I couldn¡¯t tell them apart.

    While the clones spun rapidly in place, the main body became a shadow that sank into the floor.

    I snapped my fingers. ¡°Field. Smoke it out.¡±

    With her makeshift, eldritch legs made of wriggling insects compacted tightly together, Galvantula went back on the move and darted along the sides of the psychic barrier. A familiar hum came to life far below. Arcs of electricity lanced between smoldering lava. The ground trembled, then¡ª

    Lava exploded upwards. More solid rocks beneath were torn out and magnetically launched. Chandelure quickly slipped out of the chunk of earth she¡¯d been hiding in, but before Galvantula could send everything falling back down on her exposed body, the Night Shades made their move.

    Flames burst out of their rotating bodies and ignited the whole field with blazing twisters. They melted boulders hanging high in the air and lunged for Galvantula.

    She couldn¡¯t get out of this. A glorious exit, then.

    ¡°Discharge!¡± I yelled above the inferno.

    Galvantua screamed. Electricity exploded from her body with everything she had left. One shade was zapped out of existence, two, even Chandelure¡¯s main body couldn¡¯t shield itself in time and let out a distressed wail¡ª

    Then fire met wild, untamed electricity, and the resulting explosion blasted Galvantula back against the arena¡¯s wall with a nasty crack. She didn¡¯t move.

    The moment I recalled her and went to get a different Pokeball, a voice cut strongly through the air.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you used it?¡±

    My hand paused mid-air. When I flicked gold eyes over, I found Sierra staring at me with a clenched jaw.

    I¡¯d been wondering when she would get so impatient as to ask.

    Technically, we¡¯d both been ignoring referee outros this whole time with our rapid style of swapping Pokemon in and out after defeats. That was just how engrossed in the match we both were.

    Now that she¡¯d partially pulled me out of my zone, I figured I¡¯d humor her with the thirty or so seconds I had remaining to decide my next Pokemon¡ªtwenty-six now, I believed.

    ¡°You want to fight him that badly?¡± I drawled with mocking amusement made clear in my tone.

    ¡°I challenged you in the name of Truth and Ideals,¡± Sierra scowled. She had to speak a little more loudly for me to hear, and it was because the underpass grew more noisy with passing cars. ¡°Are you telling me this is the best you have to offer in the eyes of the Heroes and their Dragons?¡±

    I kept a serious face, but I arched a brow. ¡°Should I remind you that it¡¯s 2-4 right now? I don¡¯t think you know what you¡¯re asking for. No switch-ins, remember?¡±

    Each one of my Bugs was a monster that could probably take on at least two of hers, so logically, I didn¡¯t see what she was so upset by. Emotionally? She had to have realized by now how things would end. I could understand wanting to go out with a blaze of glory, but this was my last warning for her.

    Sierra bristled, eyes blazing brighter instead of dimming. That pride of hers¡ªthe one that had carried her through so many decades¡ªwas fractured but still intact.

    ¡°If you think you belong here, then prove it,¡± she ground out.

    I cracked my neck. I wasn¡¯t doing this so much for her as for me and my friend¡¯s personal satisfaction.

    ¡°Suit yourself. May the Heroes and Dragons watch over us.¡±

    Two seconds. That was all the time I had left to send out my next fighter.

    I felt Sierra¡¯s gaze on me as my fingers reached for a Pokeball on my belt¡ªone that barely stood out and yet one I knew contained my oldest partner¡ªand held it up to the sky. The release mechanism made a loud and audible click as it was pressed.

    What was the Sun?

    It was a symbol of life and power¡ªsomething that shed warmth on humanity and made life sustainable. A magnificent, brilliant star that always rose in the sky and promised new beginnings and yet so much more. You couldn¡¯t help but raise your head to look at it even though you knew it would blind you.

    For me, the image I had of the Sun would forever be a grumpy, scrawny little Bug who¡¯d been fighting and struggling all his life to survive¡ªjust like me.

    Inside the barrier, heat levels climbed faster than they ever had when Magmortar was out. The source was a massive Pokemon that materialized with hardly any sound. Six leaf-like wings beat the air in long but steady intervals, and with every flap, embers hotter than any flame you could think of flew. Tiny as they were, they instantly melted whatever they touched. Smoking holes appeared in the barrier and ground where they landed, and I knew Burgh¡¯s Orbeetle was going to have to strain itself to keep up.

    Once, people had worshiped it as a Sun God and Deity of Fire.

    Once, this great being had descended upon a frozen land and saved hundreds of thousands of people with mere flaps of its wings.

    The respect it commanded in the past had ebbed with the flow of history and time, but it had never faded. It never would.

    Even today, it was still known as the Embodiment of the Sun. Parts of Unova continued to revere it, and its name had risen to further hallowed heights because of Alder Adeku and his partner.

    This was mine. Rune the Volcarona.

    This time, the Sun had finally come out, and this time, Sierra fully tensed up.

    It was one thing to desire a worthy fight and another to stare down the barrel of a crisis. Even if she¡¯d fought a Volcarona before¡ªand she undoubtedly would have given that she was once part of Alder¡¯s Elite Four¡ªno two Pokemon of the same species ever fought the same.

    ¡°Ice!¡± Sierra yelled.

    As fast as the heat levels had risen, they dropped again as Chandelure and her clones waved their arms. The half-Ghost was a master of thermal manipulation, and she sucked away all the surrounding heat into herself.

    The whole field erupted with ice and froze over.

    Crystals, shiny and tinged with spectral hues, encased the ground. From their glittering shells came a flurry of shards that flickered in and out of existence. They flew through the air almost too fast for the eye to see¡ªdeadly and nigh invisible dangers.

    ¡°Wave. Overload.¡±

    In response, beautiful wings in the hues of the sun beat powerfully at the air. Rune¡¯s whole body became one with radiant flames. He only needed a moment and then¡ª

    Fire. So much fire. The whole air was blasted full of it in one direction.

    The flames consumed everything.

    Shards¡ªinvisible or not¡ªburned. Crystals, no matter how strong or frozen they were, melted and produced caterwauls that resembled those of dying Ghosts. Thin, metallic arms spun rapidly to suck in all the heat because it was harmless for Chandelure and her clones. Their innate ability meant fire was nourishment for them.

    It should have been.

    But how much fire can someone safely consume until their vessel bursts? What was the limit?

    The fiery cloak Rune wore intensified to the point where he became the sun personified. He beat his wings harder, and flames rushed out in explosive waves. They were no longer simply scarlet or golden-flecked but mixed with vibrant green. Chandelure held firm. Her ghostly flames flared defiantly as she ate the flames that willingly came rushing in, shades starting to make a move of their own¡ª

    They disappeared. Evaporated. Gone.

    Extinguished from this plane of existence from flames too hot and too many for them to bear, and heat that did not destroy but kindled a disturbing will.

    Too late, Chandelure realized the things crawling inside her mind, the ones cleverly weaved into fire, and she felt her thoughts scattering to the four winds. She was a Ghost tethered to this plane by emotion, but the Bug type energy leaking inside her was just¡ª

    Too. Overwhelming.

    A monstrous will to live that was beyond anything she could comprehend as a spectral being born from the void. Flames she had mistakenly believed she could hold. They were hot, far too hot, and her mind was breaking apart from information, so much information¡ª

    Her metallic arms creaked and rattled violently. Spectral flames on her head and arms turned an ominous green, and her body heated up and sizzled and popped¡ª

    And Chandelure imploded.

    Bits and pieces of her shadowy form splattered around the field like hot puddles of paint.

    She wasn¡¯t dead. Ghosts never truly died barring certain circumstances, and unless you were a Dark type, they would not ¡®die¡¯ so easily in the mortal world either. It would just take her time to regenerate.

    Enough pieces of Chandelure¡¯s core¡ªa writhing pile of purple flames attached to a black stone¡ªremained on the floor for Sierra to recall.

    Our eyes then met from opposite ends of the field. My gaze was a challenging one.

    Even without words, she understood what I was trying to convey.

    She had dared to trample on Bugs, and she had dared to challenge the Sun.

    This was what you wanted. Bring out your supposed best.

    She did.

    Her final Pokeball sailed through the air. The Pokemon that came out from it was heavy enough that he fractured the earth when he landed. An ever-present smile was etched onto the Fire type¡¯s face as he smashed powerful fists into the ground.

    Sierra¡¯s starter, Darmanitan.

    Funnily enough, the story went that Sierra Brooks had caught him somewhere in the Desert Resort in her youth. He was an old Darumaka then and a wise and powerful Darmanitan now. We¡¯d both found our lifelong partners in a place full of sand.

    Rune¡¯s bright blue eyes did not move, but they radiated displeasure. She had been a little passing blip in Rune¡¯s memories, but he still remembered the woman who had shown hostility to me in my youth.

    Now, we would tell Sierra and her partner the story of who we had become.

    This was the last act to this story of Truth and Ideals.

    ¡°Quiver! Ascend!¡±

    ¡°Work Up! Follow!¡±

    Orders flew from our mouths.

    A flicker of light. A reverent hum. Protective scales were kindled by an ancient, forgotten song, and they glowed like the first stars in the night sky. The buzzing deep within its bearer grew louder and empowered Rune as he ascended higher into the sky, but Darmanitan was hot on his tail.

    He was faster than he seemed, and he tore across ruined earth with a fervent grin. Each breath he drew was deeper than the last. Inside, he fanned the flames of passion and fury, and warm, burning blood answered with an internal roar. He seemed to grow larger as he ran, muscles tightening, and legs kicking against the ground with restless vigor. Flames darker than blood coiled around his legs and lower body.

    Darmanitan was almost right below Rune already. With the distant sun at his back, the Volcarona hovered at the highest level of the sky bound within psychic constraints. He poised there with eyes brighter than any sea or sky and faint lights gathering on his wings like stars plucked from the cosmos.

    ¡°Rain. Green,¡± I ordered.

    Lights instantly coalesced into dozens of blindingly fast, emerald-hued lasers that fell like droplets in a sunshower¡ªexcept they hurt.

    ¡°Shield!¡± Sierra shouted, but Darmanitan already knew.

    Fires begging to be set free burst from his body and allowed him to fly into the air. Trails of smoke sizzled where he went. He was better at this than Emboar had been, and he had more maneuverability. Limbs were set ablaze with a bellow. He punched the air¡ªa single powerful swing¡ªand flames roared to life in a massive, protective arc, but the lasers pierced through.

    Six tore into his dominant arm with thunderous bangs¡ªand little insects that were swatted away¡ªbefore Darmanitan reacted. Flames around him burned even hotter, and he propelled himself with short, explosive bursts that made it seem like he was bouncing through the air.

    He punched more furiously, this time melting some of the lasers when they dropped, but for the others he simply tightened his muscles. Lasers drew blood and embedded themselves into bulging arms, but they couldn¡¯t fully pierce through all the mass.

    ¡°Grab!¡± Sierra screamed once he was in radius.

    Rune flew back, but Darmanitan strained himself. His naturally long arm grabbed a hold of one of Rune¡¯s wings and pulled, but every part of the Volcarona was stronger than it looked. The scales on his body could harden and burn at his will, and they were so hot that even Darmanitan¡¯s skin started to scream. Darmanitan pulled back a clenched fist with his other arm¡ª

    ¡°Cut! Invade!¡±

    Faster than Darmanitan could react, Rune¡¯s wings erupted with sweltering crescents. They slashed, they gouged Darmanitan¡¯s chest and even one of his eyes, but he didn¡¯t let go even when insects burrowed inside him.

    ¡°Superpower!¡±

    A furious, primal scream echoed as two glowing fists hammered Rune¡¯s abdomen. The moment the Volcarona went hurtling backwards from the impact, Darmanitan blasted more fire from his feet again to follow. He nearly dropped out of the air a few times from involuntary freezes. Bug type energy had infiltrated his insides, and there was a pervasive rattling he couldn¡¯t shake off. An unpleasant buzzing filled his ears and made him shudder¡ª

    That was from Rune.

    The Volcarona hadn¡¯t taken long to stabilize himself, and now he was up in Darmanitan¡¯s face with unnerving blue eyes. The Fire type couldn¡¯t react in time.

    ¡°Blast.¡±

    If one had ever seen the Sun, then they knew how hot and bright it was. Rune didn¡¯t need weather on his side because he was the entity.

    The sun¡¯s rays, radiant and pure, exploded outwards from Rune at point-blank range.

    They blinded everyone who looked directly at them. For the screaming, foolish being who looked at them first¡ªDarmanitan¡ªthey seared his outer fur off and sent him crashing upwards into the ceiling.

    Then he fell tumbling back to earth with a boom.

    One had to remember not to fly too close to the sun.

    Still, there were always those who would try again and again.

    Blinded and scorched, a very different figure could be seen when the smoke settled. A large, immobile rock made of rusted blue stone sat on the floor, but it had a face and eyes. Zen Mode Darmanitan.

    Light concentrated in his eyes and poured out in wide, pulsating cannons. Spurred by psychic energy, the Hyper Beams ripped through the air and split into tendrils. They peppered the Sun high above one after another, making explosions and trying to tear through scales¡ª

    ¡°Cocoon.¡±

    Rune burned anew with flames.

    Like legends of old, blistering hot fire wrapped around the Volcarona in a protective embrace. They burned hot enough for the Hyper Beams to fizzle out, and they grew outwards ominously. No hint nor hide of the Pokemon inside could be seen.

    ¡°Bloom.¡±

    Then layers peeled back like fiery petals, and fire descended in a concentrated pillar. Psychic shields instantly went up around Darmanitan.

    They tore through them like butter and engulfed Darmanitan in fires more powerful than anything he could produce.

    A sea of flames had swallowed the sky, and Rune emerged from an unraveling cocoon with glowing eyes. Darmanitan was still burning alive, but he flashed and hardened, trying to protect himself with Steel.

    I whistled, drawing Rune¡¯s attention.

    It was time to wrap things up. I wanted to put an end to this certain chapter of my life and the pride of this woman who had never believed that I belonged here in Unova.

    Clouds would come and go, but the sun would always, always be there.

    Ever burning, ever seeking.

    Fire was many things, but I liked to believe it was transformation. Through Fire, we suffered and became stronger. Through Fire, we dared to struggle and live.

    We were able to shape our own fate and be born anew.

    That was a Will forged in fire¡ªetched in eternity and forever ours.

    ¡°Emblaze. Green.¡±

    Flickers. Whispers. Little lights sparked with brilliance along Rune¡¯s wings again. He flared his wings wide and screeched.

    A wave of light hotter and brighter than any star or sun came pouring out, and it rippled with emerald green. It sang a song as it descended from the heavens.

    These weren¡¯t flames but the will of life given wings.

    They swallowed the world whole.

    Silence.

    Silence, but that wasn¡¯t right. It was because I couldn¡¯t hear anything above ringing in my ears from the ensuing explosions. The entire field quaked and rumbled and shook some more.

    Almost every single layer of psychic barriers around the field shattered from Rune¡¯s specialty move. Skin might have been burned clean off if Burgh¡¯s Orbeetle didn¡¯t repair them instantaneously like he did.

    We had to wait a long time for everything to settle.

    Rune hovered high in the sky with embers and green sparks falling from his wings like snow. Below¡­ Darmanitan was charred beyond recognition on the ground.

    He didn¡¯t launch another attack.

    Just in time to hear Burgh¡¯s words, I snapped out of the zone I¡¯d been in this whole time.

    ¡°¡ªunable to battle. With a final score of 6-2, Kayden Sterling of Castelia City is the victor of this duel.¡±

    I didn¡¯t smile. I didn¡¯t laugh.

    Only a small, quiet breath left me.

    I didn¡¯t even register the cheers that suddenly went up around the field, the furious clapping, or the kids, teenagers, and adults who¡¯d seemingly popped out of nowhere. There was a whole crowd gathered outside the grated fencing surrounding this old and now destroyed field.

    Kayden Sterling of Castelia City.

    That was who I am, and that was who I would always be.

    The boy who clawed his way to the top of the world when others thought it was impossible.

    The boy who came back home in glory and¡­

    The boy who took his rightful place back in Unova.

    Kayden Sterling was here to stay.

 Chapter 11

    CHAPTER 11

    The adrenaline rush that came with every battle was already fading, but the loud roars of approval didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Kayden! Kayden!¡±

    ¡°Castelia! Castelia!¡±

    Between all the cheering and mix of voices that blended together, it was my name and that of our city that stood out the most. Grated fencing rattled under the weight of hundreds gripping the steel mesh with their hands. Young, old, rich or poor¡ªnone of it mattered. People of all backgrounds had somehow gathered here in a massive crowd. I hadn¡¯t noticed any of them drop by because I¡¯d been so engrossed in the battle. A certain emotion filled me as I returned Rune to his Pokeball.

    Pride.

    Judging from how people stomped their feet and screamed out Castelia until their throats gave way, most of these surprise spectators were probably locals. A good fight got anyone¡¯s blood pumping, but one that involved a fellow Castelian?

    Hometown pride went a long, long way in any region, and none more so than the world¡¯s largest melting pot.

    I was a candidate for a new Unova Gym Leader, a person of interest currently sweeping up all news headlines, an Ability Holder, a Bug Specialist, a trainer¡­ The list went on and on, but before any of that, I was one thing.

    I was from Castelia City of Unova.

    These people shouting my name didn¡¯t know the context behind this match that had been years in the making, but they knew I was one of them. I had been born here and walked the same streets as they had. I carried the proud name of Castelia with me the same way they did. That was why they cheered so loudly or so I liked to believe. I hadn¡¯t planned on celebrating the end of this match, not when I merely took it in stride as a certain chapter of my life finally closing for good, but I couldn¡¯t leave the people hanging¡ªmy people.

    My way of acknowledging them was holding up a clenched fist in front of my face in a victory gesture. The moment my eyes met those of random spectators outside, they roared harder.

    It was a wonder no one had tried coming onto the field yet, but for obvious reasons, they stayed on the other side of the fencing.

    The arena was utterly decimated. Blown to smithereens. Fucked.

    That tended to happen when two elite trainers let loose, and it was worse when one of them was a powerful Specialist of one of nature¡¯s most destructive elements. Rune¡¯s little finale had also been the icing on the cake for the rundown battlefield. We were looking at a sea of molten earth and lava sinking inches into the earth now. Burgh¡¯s Orbeetle had prevented any damage to the environment outside of faded chalk lines, but waves of hot air spilled out now that all psychic barriers had been let down.

    It felt like we were in the middle of a sauna, very much so that I ended up flapping the collar of my shirt while carefully skirting around the battlefield. Someone else did the same.

    Sierra and I met in the middle by where Burgh stood.

    I didn¡¯t say anything but stuck a hand out for a cordial handshake as per proper battle etiquette. I didn¡¯t particularly want to, but I was aware of all the flashing phone cameras in the crowd. I had to watch my image given that I was going to be in the public eye from now on. The same applied to the woman standing across from me, of course, no matter how precarious her future seemed.

    She shook my hand with a clenched jaw.

    There were so many things I could have said to her, but I didn¡¯t. I regarded her coolly, gold eyes unblinking and as unnerving as ever. I¡¯d said everything I wanted to before the match and shown her the rest through actions.

    Whether she liked it or not, I was here to stay for good.

    Sierra knew, too. Her dark eyes glittered coldly as she retracted her hand and placed it over her heart.

    ¡°¡®With the Heroes and Dragons as witnesses, your claims have seen the light,¡¯¡± she recited in a sullen mutter.

    I had to hand it to her. Battered, beaten, and bruised, yet never broken¡ªsuch was the thing known as pride. Even now, Sierra stubbornly clung onto what remained of her dignity and carried out the ending customs for the old ways.

    That was all. No apology, not that I cared for one in the first place, and no other spoken word.

    She sent out an Unfezant, climbed onto its back, and vanished into the skies¡­ hopefully from my life for good as well. I wasn¡¯t even glad to see her go. Only a sense of quiet, weary acceptance came over me. Another part of my past had been dealt with.

    Now I had to look toward the future.

    I clicked my tongue. ¡°She didn¡¯t even help clean up her mess.¡±

    Most public battle arenas or related facilities had human and Pokemon staff on hand. Not this one.

    No one else was going to fix what was a years-old, abandoned battlefield in the middle of nowhere, so I took it upon myself to do cleanup work. Out popped Armaldo and Araquanid from their Pokeballs to help reset the hazard zone back to its default state. While they worked together to cool lava down and bury everything in mother earth¡¯s folds, Burgh grasped me by the shoulder with one thin, shaking hand. His Orbeetle threw up a translucent screen for privacy.

    ¡°Splendid,¡± he rasped out. His eyes shone with more life than I¡¯d seen in them over the last two weeks combined. ¡°It was a marvelous match, Kayden. As a fellow Bug Specialist, I couldn¡¯t be prouder. I felt¡ªI felt alive watching you. I don¡¯t think anyone will be questioning your capabilities as a trainer after this.¡±

    Warmth blossomed in my chest. That meant a lot coming from Burgh. I smiled, but the people swarming outside the court never left my peripheral vision. In fact, there were more people flocking here by the second. Having an audience for a match with my childhood nemesis¡ªif she could even be called that¡ªhadn¡¯t exactly been on my bingo card, but it wasn¡¯t unwelcome.

    ¡°How did they find out?¡± I mused out loud. ¡°It¡¯s so early in the morning. No one was here when Sierra and I arrived.¡±

    ¡°Actually, there was,¡± Burgh corrected with a small cough. ¡°You both were focusing so hard on the match that you missed someone sitting on a bench behind the tree over there. He livestreamed the whole thing. Orbeetle let me know while you were introducing yourselves.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t stop him?¡±

    Burgh arched a slender brow in response. ¡°Was it supposed to be a private match?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± I admitted.

    ¡°Oh, good. I didn¡¯t think you were going to lose anyway,¡± Burgh smiled. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be nice publicity if anything. Look how it turned out! Before I knew it, this many people showed up. And to think neither of you noticed anything¡­¡±

    It was my turn to cough into my fist. ¡°In my defense, I don¡¯t usually ignore my surroundings like that. This match happened to be kind of important.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t argue with Burgh¡¯s reasoning either. It was good publicity.

    Like he¡¯d said, I¡¯d proven my mark as a trainer by soundly defeating Sierra Brooks, ex-Elite Four member and opposing candidate for the position of the next Castelia Gym Leader. I imagined this was not going to look good on top of what the public now knew about her hand in old exile cases. Character and morals aside, I also trumped her where strength mattered in the role we both vied for.

    I had no way of knowing if the civilian government had sent Sierra after me or not, but their desperate last stand had hit a wall sooner than they thought.

    Anything else they tried was going to get washed away by public momentum.

    ¡°Now, about that explanation I believe I am finally owed?¡± Burgh spoke up, voice full of amusement. ¡°What happened to lying low?¡±

    I snorted with laughter and recalled my Pokemon now that they¡¯d finished fixing the field. ¡°I tried, Burgh. I¡¯ll tell you after I get medical care for my Pokemon.¡±

    We were gone faster than people could converge on us.

    The moment we Teleported to League HQ, Burgh showed me to the medical unit. Technically, I wasn¡¯t allowed here yet without proper status or clearance, but they didn¡¯t bat an eye. Kricketune and Galvantula got Ditto cells injected into them to help regenerate lost flesh and missing limbs.

    Bugs, more so at higher tiers, boasted incredible survivability.

    My team already had remarkable regeneration capabilities born from years of training and endless fighting, so I wasn¡¯t too worried about my Pokemon bouncing back from their injuries. A short period of time was all it would amount to. I imagined the two of them would be bragging to the others later about their rapidly healing wounds slash badges of honor.

    From the perspective of outsiders, it had probably looked like a horrific match for those with frailer stomachs. High-tier Pokemon battles usually weren¡¯t all rainbows and sunshine in the first place (it was impossible for them NOT to be considering living weapons of mass destruction fought each other one-on-one), but being burned alive and losing whole body parts still leaned on the more uncommon side. Any fight where Bugs and Fire were involved wasn¡¯t pretty.

    ¡­Shit. I suddenly remembered all the kids I¡¯d seen around the court, and I hoped parents or older siblings out there had shielded their eyes from the more brutal moments of the match.

    Once my Pokemon got the medical attention they needed, I told Burgh the story of how I got ambushed on my morning jog.

    That was after Alder kidnapped us to his office first.

    He¡¯d watched the whole battle from the comfort of his desk monitor after officers from various intelligence departments brought it to his attention.

    The smile he now wore could only be described as one thing: a shit-eating grin.

    ¡°Kayden, you keep surprising me at every turn!¡± he guffawed. A large hand slapped me on the back for what seemed like the tenth time in the last two minutes alone, and I winced from the impact. Alder was strong for a middle-aged man. ¡°I didn¡¯t foresee you battling Sierra. You really put the final nail in the coffin.¡±

    I rubbed my own back with a fist and smiled wryly. I had a feeling I already knew what he was talking about, but I asked anyway. ¡°I take it the civilian side of the government¡¯s seen the news by now?¡±

    Alder¡¯s grin deepened. ¡°Oh, most definitely. I saw people running around like headless chickens earlier. I imagine they¡¯re off in a private meeting right now to figure out how best to proceed, but there¡¯s nothing they can do.¡±

    Fingers flew across a keyboard as the Champion hummed out loud to himself. With a face full of utter glee, he finished what he was doing and spun his monitor around for our benefit.

    ¡°Here,¡± Alder pointed out, tapping the screen with his index finger. ¡°Videos of the match are trending on Chatter and every social media or news platform you can think of. People who saw it live are helpfully spreading the word, too.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t exaggerating.

    Displayed on his monitor were dozens of tabs and posts mentioning my match with Sierra. It was so rare for two elite, high profile trainers to fight a public battle that it was all people could talk about. Scarcely half an hour had passed, but the battle of Bugs versus Fire had generated much buzz on the Pokenet already¡ªno pun intended.

    ¡°Alder, do you think we can move up the schedule then?¡± Burgh asked. With much anticipation, he leaned forward in his seat as the man across from us hummed out loud in thought.

    The telltale look of joy on his face said everything.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point dragging things out when everyone knows how things will end. Kayden, look forward to some good news tonight,¡± Alder declared in a voice brimming with undisguised enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯m going to convene a parliament meeting later and put your appointment to an official vote.¡±

    If there was one thing I could thank Sierra for, it was giving me the golden opportunity to dispel any doubts¡ªno matter how ridiculous¡ªabout my qualifications as a Gym Leader candidate. I¡¯d already been a shoo-in for the role, but our fight hastened the process. No one in their right mind would dare question me anymore.

    I clenched a fist under the table. The grin on my face mirrored those of my companions.

    ¡°I better get ready to celebrate then.¡±

    <hr>

    Lacunosa Town, Unova ¡ª Sierra Brooks

    ¡°ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!¡±

    Howard Moore¡¯s shrill voice exploded from the phone Sierra held in her hand. He was red-faced, livid, and absolutely fuming with anger. She could see as much from the impromptu video call.

    The man on the screen threw his hands up in exasperation.

    ¡°Starting and LOSING a public match?¡± Howard continued. ¡°Your reputation is in tatters more than ever! You just needed to keep your head down! We would have found a way to prevent Kayden Sterling¡¯s appointment. We only needed more time¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t have,¡± Sierra snapped right back. She bristled at his outburst. ¡°Let¡¯s not fool ourselves. The public was already against us.¡±

    ¡°You made things worse by proving his strength¡ª¡±

    ¡°I had to do something! Better than you and your fool¡¯s errand at least!¡±

    She snarled out the last few words and hung up, slamming her phone onto the kitchen countertop so forcefully that she heard a crack.

    She didn¡¯t care.

    She, Sierra Brooks, had lost again, this time to a twenty-something-year-old brat who believed he could serve Unova better than her. Her entire frame trembled from fury and a creeping sense of humiliation.

    In her mind¡¯s eye, pairs of gold and blue eyes continued to haunt her with their unnerving stares. They remained there even when she blinked furiously to try and chase them away.

    Kayden Sterling and the Embodiment of the Sun.

    She¡¯d lost to them. Terribly.

    Sierra¡¯s shoulders slumped with resignation. There wasn¡¯t anything else she could do. Any notions of rejoining the ranks of the League were laughable at best. Her entire campaign had gone up in smoke and cinders.

    She, like the rest of Unova, would have to wait and see how the future unfolded from here on out. She only hoped the country would remain intact in the days or months to come.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    She still believed in her late grandmother¡¯s ominous words.

    Someday, a young man will tear Unova apart for the sake of Truth.

    <hr>

    Castelia City, Unova ¡ª Kayden Sterling

    In the grand scheme of things, what happened this morning hardly meant anything at all. I treated it like an ordinary workout for me and my Pokemon and conveniently wiped any more thoughts about Sierra Brooks from my mind. That was a chapter of my life over and done with.

    I had something far more important to deal with.

    Furniture shopping.

    ¡°Which one do we like better? Blue or green?¡± I asked.

    My kind helpers¡ªBurgh, Ribombee, Heracross, and Golisopod¡ªwere split half and half and pointed at the couches they liked best. One was a classic sectional couch outfitted with leather and the other was a modular couch made of softer fabric.

    Our group only came to a consensus after sitting on both of them. The modular couch won because first, I knew the majority of my team was partial to green and second, it felt nice. Really freaking nice. Sitting on it was like sinking into a big, fluffy cloud. I might have even dozed off if given the chance to sit there with my eyes closed for a bit.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go with this one,¡± I fervently agreed. My Pokemon cheered in the background. With great reluctance, I made myself get up and add the item to a digital cart on my phone.

    Even if it didn¡¯t seem like it, something as ordinary as furniture shopping was a monumental task right now. It cemented my new reality¡ªthat I was staying in Castelia from now on permanently.

    Heh, and to think this had all started as a seemingly short vacation.

    My new house was more like a sad, wooden husk devoid of any color and life. That problem needed to be rectified. Given that I didn¡¯t have anything better to do while waiting for the good news Alder promised, I opted to get started on a house makeover now rather than later. Burgh had graciously accompanied me to one of Castelia¡¯s largest department stores. He and Ribombee were bonding quickly over their shared love for art and beautiful things. Kricketune probably would have loved to join them, but I¡¯d left him and Galvantula at home to heal outside of their Pokeballs.

    Heracross and Golisopod were our so-called hired muscles. We already had three shopping carts packed full of cleaning supplies, bathroom essentials like toilet paper and a fun shower curtain patterned with smiling Sewaddle, plates, silverware, kitchen appliances¡ªthe whole shebang. The two large Bugs easily wheeled carts around like they weighed nothing, and they kept themselves amused by spinning them in circles or racing from one aisle to the other. I let them be so long as they didn¡¯t disturb anyone or make a mess of the store.

    So far, they were doing a good job.

    The only reason they or our group as a whole didn¡¯t attract attention was because Ribombee periodically sprinkled everyone with fairy dust, another trick I stole from a famous Fairy Specialist in Johto. Glamour, or enchantments such as illusions, came naturally to the Fae. Ribombee helped us stay under the radar by lowering people¡¯s perception of us. They wouldn¡¯t notice our group unless they really concentrated on our faces, and even then, our facial features would be blurry in their memories until hours later. Ribombee¡¯s whole Fairy shtick revolved around warmth and hospitality as her specialties.

    She had to keep the fairy dust to a minimum for me and Burgh, though. Too much would cause complications like type energy poisoning¡ªin this case, probably severe rashes similar to allergic reactions if copious amounts were to be sprayed on our human skins.

    Just like that, we were free to walk through the department store mostly unhindered. It was funny walking by oblivious teenagers talking about me and even a row of televisions that played the news.

    ¡°Dude, did you see the match between that old Elite Four member and Kayden Sterling¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªhere at Cloud News, it seems the next Castelia Gym Leader is all but confirmed¡ª¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk to myself. My name was going around everywhere.

    Burgh found it amusing, too, if the way his eyes suddenly crinkled with joy meant anything. It was nice seeing him less depressed these days.

    ¡°Treat yourself to a nice meal tonight, Kayden,¡± he suggested, gesturing to a mahogany dresser that seemed worth getting. ¡°You¡¯re going to get busy from now on as a Gym Leader.¡±

    I ran a hand thoughtfully over the wood. ¡°Busy isn¡¯t bad, Burgh. And how did you know I was going to do that? I¡¯m ordering from Jake¡¯s later.¡±

    If you wanted real, authentic Castelian pizza¡ªthe kind of slices that filled your stomach with cheesy goodness¡ªthen Jake¡¯s Pizza on Gloria Street was your only choice. No ifs, ands, or buts.

    ¡°Great. I believe I have to order some for myself now,¡± Burgh chuckled. ¡°I do mean it, though. There¡¯s a lot to learn. Two months until the next League Circuit will be cutting it close¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then why not start now?¡± I playfully interrupted, and I tapped the side of my head with a finger. ¡°You¡¯d know it best as a fellow Bug Specialist. Our brains are wired a bit differently. I can keep up with whatever you throw at me.¡±

    He raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±

    ¡°Dead serious.¡±

    ¡°In the middle of a department store? Looking at dressers and closets?¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right.¡±

    Some catchy pop song played over the speakers overhead as Burgh stared at me with open astonishment. Meanwhile, I kept looking at furniture I wanted to buy with Ribombee.

    Burgh had to blink slowly a few times before he finally shook himself out of his daze.

    ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no time like the present,¡± he agreed in a faint mutter.

    I wasn¡¯t looking, but I heard a rustling sound before something entered my field of vision. Burgh held some sort of old, ragged notebook out to me that he¡¯d evidently pulled from his tote bag.

    ¡°For you,¡± he offered. ¡°I was going to give it later, but since you insisted¡­ It¡¯s full of notes I wrote down when I was younger and still learning from the previous Castelia Gym Leader. You might find it useful to go over in your free time.¡±

    I took the offered item into my hands, fingers gently prying the decade-old relic open and flipping through the first few pages. Huh, Burgh had really nice handwriting. Couldn¡¯t say the same for my own.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll read and study everything in it,¡± I promised. I wasn¡¯t kidding.

    By ¡®study,¡¯ I meant I was going to analyze the hell out of it like a Bug searching for their prey¡¯s weakness with a creepy stare.

    Burgh smiled at me, hands stuffing themselves inside the pockets of fashionable striped pants. He was feeling well enough these days to put more thought into his clothing choices again.

    ¡°I never imagined I¡¯d start teaching you in the middle of a department store, but so be it.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I suppose we should start with arguably the most time-consuming aspect of what a Gym Leader does: fighting trainers during the yearly League Circuit. You already know, but Unova¡¯s season runs from late August through the end of May.¡±

    It used to be from September to June about twenty years ago, but they changed it at some point to give Gym Leaders a little more time off during the summer. Unova was a massive country with a staggeringly high population. That translated to millions of kids taking on the League Circuit every year, and even though there were way more major gyms and Gym Leaders in Unova compared to the rest of the world, they still tended to be overworked.

    ¡°You mentioned you worked briefly under Gym Leaders before, so I imagine you have a good idea already of how Gym Leaders must fight the trainers who come challenge them¡­¡± Burgh continued. Him trailing off was the prompt for me to answer.

    I nodded to show I was listening while tossing a pillow to my shopping basket. ¡°Trainers who pass the gym challenge qualify to fight the Gym Leader. Either they take a gauntlet, or they only fight the Gym Leader themselves. They¡¯re given an appropriate match based on their current stage of growth.¡±

    I knew as much from my own League Circuit runs in other countries when I was younger.

    Before a trainer could hope to challenge a Gym Leader, they had to qualify for it first. That meant passing a certain task. Every gym typically had some sort of ¡®trial¡¯ or ¡®challenge¡¯ related to their chosen type specialty. Sometimes it was an interactive puzzle, a simple quiz, or something far more elaborate like a winding labyrinth or game. It varied by country and the personality of the Gym Leader who ran the business, but they could get really outlandish and creative.

    If a trainer successfully completed said gym challenge, they qualified to fight the Gym Leader. They could choose to partake in a gauntlet, a series of battles against gym trainers before fighting the Gym Leader, but that was pretty outdated. I heard it was still popular in Indigo these days because they so highly valued tradition over there, but for the rest of the world, most teenagers preferred fighting the Gym Leader right away.

    What I was going to have to deal with on the Gym Leader side of things was giving appropriate matches to my challengers.

    Burgh nodded approvingly. ¡°A broad overview, but yes, that would be correct. The point of gyms is to help trainers grow instead of stagnate. Go too easy, and they won¡¯t learn anything. Go too hard, and they¡¯ll be left feeling frustrated. It¡¯s a difficult task to strike the delicate balance of a worthy, exhilarating battle that will help both them and their Pokemon grow as individuals. Based on how many badges your challenger has and how strong they are, you¡¯ll need to field Pokemon with an appropriate level of strength to test them.¡±

    Yeah, so no pitting a seasoned Gyarados against a young Rattata for instance. I knew that crystal clear.

    I understood the importance of what Burgh was saying given that I¡¯d been on the receiving end of it in my youth. I wouldn¡¯t have grown as much as I had today if Gym Leaders out there hadn¡¯t given me thrilling enough fights. Exciting, fun memories all things considered¡ªthe same kind I wanted to give to challengers of my own someday.

    Thankfully, since I was a veteran trainer, I could gauge Pokemon and trainer skill levels pretty easily. Learning to field so-and-so Pokemon against this or that challenger wouldn¡¯t be too hard for me to pick up.

    Plus¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a bit of experience thanks to running some gauntlets as a gym trainer intern before,¡± I mentioned out loud. Ribombee handed me a teddy bear she¡¯d picked out from a toy aisle, so I added that to our growing pile of goodies while patting her head. ¡°The most important matches were those against trainers aiming for their first, second, fifth, or eighth gym badges.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, those are what I¡¯d call milestone matches for a trainer,¡± Burgh beamed at me, and he proceeded to rattle off information I needed to know.

    The first badge was especially meaningful. Up to that point, young trainers had probably only fought simple, clumsy matches with peers. Fighting a Gym Leader for the first time¡ªand in front of a massive, public audience no less¡ªwas supposed to be their first glimpse into the actual trainer scene. Only about half the first-year participants in the League Circuit each year reached and passed this point in their journey. It showed who was or was not casual about being a trainer.

    Those trying to get their second badge found things got a little harder. If they already got one badge, then Gym Leaders expected trainers to be somewhat serious about training.

    Similarly, when aiming for the fifth badge, the difficulty level of a gym match rose again. At this point, challengers had four out of a minimum of eight badges needed to qualify for the regional Conference. If people didn¡¯t know what they were doing at this stage, it was on them.

    And of course, getting the shiny eighth badge was the hardest of all.

    It was the final obstacle for a challenger and their ticket into the yearly Vertress Conference. Gym Leaders didn¡¯t hold back. Only the best trainers were allowed into what was widely considered one of the nation¡¯s most prestigious events, so Gym Leaders put challengers through the wringer to see who was or was not worthy of that opportunity. Because so few trainers got to this point, Gym Leaders handed out especially difficult challenges for those who fought them. They came prepared with specific counters and strategies tailored to their opponents, and they gave aspiring youths a worthy challenge¡ªone that put everything the trainer had learned while traveling to the test.

    Listening to Burgh hammer all this in my head really made me respect those in the profession a whole lot more. Much more work went into being a Gym Leader than people thought, and this was only the battling side of things. One aspect of a very draining but rewarding job.

    I knew there was also lots of¡ª

    ¡°¡ªpaperwork,¡± Burgh helpfully added at some point, and I cringed already at the mention. On cue, terrible memories of me filling out paperwork while interning at gyms flashed through my mind. ¡°But we¡¯ll discuss more about the role of a Gym Leader next time. I dare say we should probably wrap up shopping first. Your Heracross and Golisopod look like they¡¯re starting to get bored.¡±

    I glanced over to see them slumped dramatically over beanbags as if they were dead. They cracked one eye open each to see if I was done yet, and then they hurriedly closed them when they saw that I was looking. Both massive Bugs sank further into their chairs to exaggerate the ¡®feigning death¡¯ act.

    Yeah, they were definitely tired of picking out patterns and colors for furniture already. Both preferred battling and exercise over mindless shopping.

    I rolled my eyes.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re packing it up and going home. Let¡¯s roll these bad boys over to the checkout area.¡±

    The moment I said that, both Heracross and Golisopod magically ¡®revived¡¯ and sprang to their feet. With shouts of relief, they grabbed all our shopping carts and raced away before I could change my mind.

    Burgh smiled nostalgically as I rolled my eyes again.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good family,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°I do,¡± I agreed, following after our runaway Bugs. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t change them for the world.¡±

    <hr>

    League HQ. Union Peak, Unova ¡ª Alder Adeku

    Many years ago, Alder had dreaded parliament meetings.

    It was because he was never able to get anything done. Most of the government hated him at the time and were greedy, self-serving scumbugs with their own insecurities and interests they wanted to protect. Things only got better years down the road once more open-minded individuals joined the ranks of the government and League. Nowadays, he looked forward to meetings thanks to a growing number of allies.

    Today?

    Alder wore an especially ferocious smile.

    From his place at a raised podium, stormy eyes gazed challengingly at hundreds of men and women seated in curved rows similar to those in an amphitheater. Two gigantic flags were hung on the wall behind him: one with the proud symbol of their nation¡ªa Braviary with wings stretched wide to the heavens¡ªand the other with an intricate Pokeball design that stood for the Unova League.

    Parliament had long been in session here in the Great Hall, and the tension was so thick one could have cut it with a knife.

    They¡¯d spent an hour going over the qualifications of the proposed Castelia Gym Leader candidates one last time. People tried their damned hardest to nitpick at Kayden, but only a small minority struggled until the end.

    Alder had been Champion for a long time. He knew there were still Ekans hiding in the bushes¡ªmainly Howard Moore, that conniving son of a gun¡ªbut for now at least, there was nothing they could do in the face of overwhelming public opinion. They had to go with what the people wanted or risk their ire and the untimely end of their political careers.

    It helped that the new officials temporarily filling in for vacant seats had enough common sense to go with the current political atmosphere in Unova rather than against. A small group of them including an interesting man named Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius had approached Alder prior to the meeting, and they¡¯d pledged their support ahead of time for Kayden¡¯s official appointment. Maybe they were trying to curry favor with him, but Alder didn¡¯t care.

    It was time to put an end to this blasted meeting.

    ¡°Votes must now be cast. Please submit your votes for appointing Kayden Sterling as the next Gym Leader of Castelia City,¡± Alder spoke powerfully into a microphone.

    They used to record votes by calling out the roll, but that practice had slowly faded out. They¡¯d since switched to electronic votes in recent years. People bustled around in their rows, fingers gingerly pressing colored buttons on devices attached to seats.

    Oh, their faces were a sight to see. It was obvious who was or wasn¡¯t on Alder¡¯s side from how bitter their expressions were.

    Fifteen minutes later, all eyes were on the electronic board present on the chamber¡¯s back wall. There, the final tally was on full and undisputed display.

    Alder had to refrain from barking out a laugh.

    Today, he gladly welcomed one new ally to his ranks.

    ¡°We have our results,¡± Alder declared, and he raised his hand. ¡°By majority vote, Kayden Sterling will be the next Castelia Gym Leader from this moment forth.¡±

    His smile stretched wider.

    ¡°This meeting is now adjourned.¡±

    <hr>

    Castelia City, Unova ¡ª Kayden Sterling

    After we parted ways with Burgh, my team and I spent the whole afternoon redecorating the house and moving stuff around. The hardest part wasn¡¯t installing new carpeting or anything but agreeing on furniture arrangements.

    The thing about Bugs was that most of them had a very, very keen attention to detail and could get fixated on the smallest things when they wanted. I had to break up a fight between Centiskorch and Scolipede when they squabbled over whether to put a beanbag forty degrees to the left or right of a bookshelf.

    Their natural rivalry as predator and prey species did not help.

    At six o¡¯clock sharp, the best pizza Castelia had to offer was delivered to our house.

    At half past six, my world changed forever with one phone call.

    ¡°I promised you, didn¡¯t I? The vote and meeting ended just now,¡± Alder¡¯s happy voice drifted through the air. He was on speakerphone. ¡°Congratulations, Kayden. You¡¯re the next Castelia Gym Leader.¡±

    The living room exploded with a cacophony of proud screeches, buzzes, and clicks from my Pokemon. I let them cheer for me and silently fist pumped the air instead, grinning.

    It was one thing to understand you¡¯d get the role of your newfound dream and another to officially become it.

    Alder didn¡¯t keep me for long after that. He let me know to show up bright and early tomorrow at League HQ for my swearing-in ceremony and forwarded me a long list of what to expect¡ªvery short notice, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. All the Unova Gym Leaders had apparently asked Alder to hold it this weekend so they could pack it into their crammed schedules. There were only a few days left in this season¡¯s League Circuit. In spite of how busy each Gym Leader was with last-minute challengers seeking to squeeze in one more badge before the season ended, they still wanted to attend my swearing-in ceremony and show their support. A show of unity, so to speak, and a firm declaration to any remaining dissenters that they wholly welcomed me, an Ability Holder, into their ranks.

    From that alone, they seemed like nice, friendly people already. I wasn¡¯t exactly happy about having to put on a formal suit again, but I was definitely looking forward to meeting my new coworkers.

    I leaned back on one of our new couches and raised a can of lime soda, grinning.

    ¡°Well, gang,¡± I drawled. ¡°The next step of our lives awaits us!¡±

    The resounding roars would have terrified the whole neighborhood if it wasn¡¯t so empty.

    I had no idea what the future held exactly.

    This was new territory I was stepping into, but like a true Bug Specialist, I would not only easily adapt but thrive.

    Castelia¡ª No¡­ Unova had yet to see the legacy I¡¯d leave behind for future generations. The Ability Holder and Bug Specialist named Kayden Sterling.

    For now, my Bugs and I had one last box of pizza to conquer.

    In the middle of grabbing one of the few remaining slices, my can of soda almost slipped out of my hand as I realized something.

    I swore out loud.

    ¡°Ah, shit, I have to draft a speech, don¡¯t I?¡±

 Chapter 12 â€” The Oath

    CHAPTER 12 ¡ª The Oath

    ¡°Maria, my beloved, I swear I¡¯ll be with you until the end of time!¡±

    ¡°Oh, Anthony! I love you!¡±

    Gross sobbing sounds filled the living room, and they mostly came from one person¡ªer, Bug. Golisopod bawled his eyes out while snatching tissues by the dozen to dab his face with. Hours into our celebratory party, and it was his turn to choose a channel on the TV. Some sort of romance soap opera played as far as I could tell¡ªway too melodramatic and full of nonsensical twists for my taste¡ªbut a few of my Bugs were into it. Golisopod just happened to be the most vocal¡­ by a long shot.

    Without looking, I reached out and patted his armored plating in a comforting gesture. The Pokemon thanked me in a small, tearful voice that comically contrasted his massive frame. I wisely did not comment on the snot flying everywhere from him blowing his nose. Frosmoth reeled back in disgust and squeaked angrily, threatening to turn him into a living popsicle if he did that one more time. When the Pokemon strewn around the living room started to argue, Beedrill quietly used one of his legs to press a button on the TV remote. The channel changed to a repeat of a popular cooking show episode with everyone none the wiser.

    Me?

    I was still typing up a speech in my phone¡¯s note app, and I¡¯d started ages ago.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± I muttered under my breath.

    According to the itinerary Alder had sent me, I was expected to make some short remarks after I was officially sworn in. It was important to make a good impression on the public, so I couldn¡¯t fudge this up. It wasn¡¯t like it was that hard. Some words of gratitude, something about working hard, doing my best going forward, yada yada. Stuff like that.

    The problem was adding my own flair to it. I couldn¡¯t make up my mind on what I wanted to say to the public. My lack of experience writing speeches didn¡¯t help, either.

    Did making slogans for class bake sales and lemonade stands once upon a time count?

    Still, I never half-assed anything I did. I went the extra mile and looked up past speeches from other government officials for inspiration on how I should structure my remarks. Rune looked over my shoulder while I typed and helpfully commented about things that could use minor changes. He and my other Pokemon knew how to read our language because I¡¯d taught them.

    For such a short speech that I poured hours of my life into, the finished draft barely amounted to the length of my whole phone screen. I was willing to bet it would only take me a minute to verbalize out loud as well, something I verified after a quick practice run.

    Flygon clapped for me when I finished. Rune didn¡¯t have hands, so he simply beat his wings harder. The others were either too engrossed in the TV or their arguing to notice.

    I snorted with laughter. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    One practice run and three silent readthroughs were all I needed to memorize everything, but I didn¡¯t go to sleep right away.

    I answered excited texts from my family, Hayden, and my closest pal back in Alola¡ªa chill guy named Guzma¡ªfirst. There were other congratulatory messages from acquaintances I¡¯d made over the years. The news about me becoming the next Castelia Gym Leader was everywhere already.

    By the time I finally crawled into bed, it was a little past midnight. I didn¡¯t waste any time wondering about tomorrow.

    I passed out like a light instead.

    <hr>

    The next morning was busy to say the least.

    ¡°Coming, coming!¡± I yelled in between half-eaten toast.

    I had to get up not one, not two, but five times in the middle of breakfast to answer the ringing doorbell.

    We had a bunch of furniture delivered to our house that hadn¡¯t been available for same-day pickup yesterday and stuff I ordered online. One of those deliveries included a cute, comfortable reclining chair modelled after a Centiskorch, something my very own Bug loved, and that chair caused absolute chaos in the house. I had to repeatedly promise to buy each of my Pokemon something themed after their species when I came back home later.

    Furniture wasn¡¯t the only thing dropped off. The custom-made suits I¡¯d ordered days ago arrived, too, just in time for my big day.

    I went with a coffee-colored set of formal wear and solid gold tie that complemented my hair and eyes, didn¡¯t bother doing anything special with said hair other than brushing it once, and then told everyone else to mind the house while I was gone. I wasn¡¯t bringing any of them with me since they wouldn¡¯t be allowed out of their Pokeballs. They preferred to stay home anyway and watch the ceremony on TV.

    ¡°Decorate the house if you want!¡± I hollered.

    A chorus of affirmatives answered me before I closed the front door and turned to my escort waiting in the yard, a Beheeyem that worked for the Unova League. Those weren¡¯t too common to see, so I guessed I got VIP treatment.

    After polite greetings, the Pokemon brought me to a private, designated Teleport zone inside League HQ. Security checks were ten times worse than usual because of the importance of today¡¯s occasion. It was only after I passed all of them that a group of League Trainers escorted me further into the building.

    We crossed all the way over to the Harmony Hall in the North Wing, a space used throughout history for appointment ceremonies and the like. I didn¡¯t get to see it because I was shown through a backdoor into a waiting room.

    It was busy back here. Officials bustled in and out of the room with walkie talkies or digital tablets in hand. The most they could give me were quick, polite greetings as they hurried away to make sure everything was in order.

    Someone called out to me in the midst of preparations.

    ¡°Kayden! You¡¯ve finally arrived! Cutting it a bit close, aren¡¯t you?¡± Alder greeted with a good-natured laugh. He looked as uncomfortable as I did in a formal black suit that destroyed my usual image of him, but at least I didn¡¯t constantly fidget with my tie or look like I needed to go to the bathroom.

    I smiled wryly as I approached the loose circle of chairs he and a few others were seated in. ¡°I was waiting on my custom suits to arrive. Figured if I was going to put on one of these stupid things, I¡¯d make sure I looked better than usual.¡±

    Loud, guttural laughs escaped Alder¡¯s throat as I sank into the empty chair next to him. My eyes flitted curiously across the room and took in the other occupants.

    The middle-aged man sitting to my immediate left was one I recognized from research when catching up on the last two decades of Unovan history. He was Richard Dempsey, current acting President of our government¡ªnot that that meant much. He was mostly a figurehead whose job boiled down to signing off on bills that parliament approved and passing them over to Alder and the League to review. Unova¡¯s political system had a lot more checks and balances than other countries in the world. It had been designed to prevent the abuse of powers by refusing to give any single authority total say.

    Sitting next to him was a woman I actually recognized from faint childhood memories: Lena Gardel. She was much older now of course, but she had been the presiding mayor of Castelia City in my youth¡ªa very popular one because of her down-to-earth personality and the way she connected with the people. Her plans for early retirement evaporated because locals hated the mayors who came after her, so they begged her to run again after her term limit passed.

    She did, and she won by a landslide. She had about two years left on her current term, so we¡¯d be seeing a lot of each other until then. Every Gym Leader and mayor co-governed their respective city or town as an extension of our region¡¯s balanced political system.

    Luckily, if the warm and genuine smile Lena offered me was anything to go by, I had a feeling we¡¯d get along swimmingly.

    ¡°Mayor Lena Gardel,¡± the elderly woman introduced, and her weathered hand shook mine with more vigor than I would have expected. The skin around her bright blue eyes crinkled with joy. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Leader Kayden. I¡¯m looking forward to working with you from now on for the sake of Castelia¡¯s people.¡±

    Oh, I definitely liked her already. I considered myself a decent judge of character, and that was not an empty platitude. The firm look in her eyes warranted as much.

    ¡°Same here, Lena,¡± I smiled cheekily. ¡°Hope you¡¯re okay with first names going forward. You¡¯ll be stuck with me until your term ends after all.¡±

    Her voice cracked with breathless chuckles. ¡°Ha! I did wonder if I should bring it up first. I¡¯m not too fond of formalities, either. Burgh sure picked a fun one as his successor.¡±

    My good impression of her climbed once again from the evaluation. I took time to shake hands and greet President Dempsey before turning to the others in the room.

    Where the Champion went, the Unova Elite Four was usually not far behind.

    This particular generation¡¯s members were fairly young all things considered.

    ¡°¡®With eyes as gold as the radiant sun, the man approached the dawn of his destiny¡­¡¯¡± a young woman dressed in dark, flowing robes mumbled, but I still heard her. With a fat salmon-colored pen in hand, she wrote furiously in a notebook.

    She only looked up after Alder pointedly cleared his throat. Large, round, and gold-framed glasses nearly tumbled off her face as her head snapped up.

    ¡°Ah! Sorry about that,¡± she apologized softly. She set her notebook down on her lap and smiled at me, leaning forward with an eager expression that reminded me of a child in a candy store. Her pen twirled around in the air as she spoke. ¡°You see, I like to take inspiration from real life for my novels. It¡¯s so nice to finally meet you, Kayden! I asked Alder to set up a meeting sooner so I could research¡ªer, talk to you, but there wasn¡¯t any time in our schedules. Would it be okay if I used you as a reference in my next story? I could even share some of the profits with you if that¡¯d be agreeable¡­¡±

    She rambled on, but I was more focused on going through what I knew of her in my head.

    Shauntal Soma, a twenty-four-year-old Ghost Specialist and talented, bestselling author. She¡¯d written so many literary masterpieces in her career that they called her the author with the Midas touch. Rom coms, thrillers, mystery or horror novels¡ªwhatever she wrote, it didn¡¯t matter. It was sure to become a big hit that companies then fought over to turn into movies and webtoons. Her fame as an author even soared to international levels.

    Her most popular novels were those based on the lives of famous trainers like Where The Moon Rises, a book about the Cherrygrove Gym Leader and Fairy Specialist over in Johto. She¡¯d even written a book based on Alder.

    I wasn¡¯t exactly big on reading, but I did like Shauntal Soma¡¯s stories. Dad¡¯s personal favorite was¡ª

    ¡°Edge of Dawn,¡± I interrupted Shauntal¡¯s rambling with a grin. It was one of her newer hits: a fantasy, young adult novel about trainers navigating a post-apocalyptic world. According to hearsay, it had been inspired by a random dream one of the other Elite Four members told Shauntal about in passing. ¡°Getting to read a novel based on me sounds neat, but can I get a signed autograph later for my dad? He¡¯s a huge fan of your works.¡±

    Dark eyes glittered with undisguised enthusiasm. Shauntal even clapped her hands together in delight. ¡°Truly?! Sure, an autograph is the least I can do for a fan and the chance to write about you! It¡¯s a bit early, but what do you think about the title To Face The Sun?¡±

    Huh. That had a nice ring to it. Better than anything I could ever think of anyway.

    ¡°I like it,¡± I said honestly.

    ¡°Aha, I had a feeling it¡¯d resonate with you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shauntal, why in heaven¡¯s name haven¡¯t you written a book about me yet?¡± a new and raspier voice complained. ¡°You have perfectly good writing material sitting inches away from you.¡±

    It came from a dark-haired man sitting with crossed legs. Dressed in a stylish, dapper suit of burgundy red and a yellow scarf thrown around his neck, he looked the very picture of elegance. One arm was slung so that it draped across the back of the chair while the other was preoccupied with tossing a coin up and down in the air.

    Grimsley Fletcher. He was a little older than me at twenty-seven, and he was a renowned Dark Specialist who¡¯d crawled his way up from almost nothing. He didn¡¯t have a famous side job like Shauntal did, but he was still fairly well-known. He came from a noble family that used to be one of the richest in Unova before they fell into ruin. Compared to people who had sponsorships from regional Professors or famous corporations, he tried his League Circuit runs all on his own with no one to help him and eventually became one of the strongest. A true rags to riches story¡­ or riches to rags to riches once more on a technical level.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Shauntal huffed out loud. ¡°Because it¡¯s you, Grimsley. Forgive me, but if I wrote a protagonist based on your personality, I¡¯m not sure how I would survive writing more than a few pages.¡±

    ¡°A shame,¡± Grimsley remarked with an additional tutting sound. ¡°You and your readers don¡¯t know what they¡¯re missing out on.¡± He turned to me now with lips curled into a smirk. ¡°I almost forgot to introduce myself. Shauntal unfortunately said it for me, but name¡¯s Grimsley. It¡¯s nice to see someone else who rose up from the bottom of the miserable barrel called life.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even question how he knew about my life story. Reporters had probably dug up everything about my poor childhood already and laid it out for display online.

    There were cases where people with opposing type specialties clashed, but this was not one of them. I felt a sort of camaraderie with Grimsley already based on our backgrounds alone.

    ¡°It never ends, but hardship makes people stronger. I wouldn¡¯t be here today without any of it,¡± I drawled with a playful shrug of my shoulders.

    ¡°You see? You see that, everyone?¡± Grimsley laughed uproariously as he shifted in his seat. ¡°Finally, someone gets me around here! All you people with your fancy little connections wouldn¡¯t ever understand the kind of things we went through.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s just rude.¡± Shauntal sniffed with a pointed upturn of her nose. ¡°We¡¯ve never looked down on you, Grimsley.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? Then why won¡¯t you write a story about me, hmm?¡±

    They started arguing, and that was when I finally noticed my earlier observation was wrong.

    ¡°Is that a poker chip?¡± I questioned with raised brows.

    The coin that Grimsley had been tossing this whole time was not actually real money but a smaller version of a freaking poker chip.

    Alder helpfully piped up since Grimsley was preoccupied with tearing Shauntal a new one.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s from a tabletop game,¡± Alder revealed. That only made my brows fly up further to my hairline. Me staring at him with an incredulous expression prompted Alder to cough into his fist. ¡°Grimsley used to have a bit of a gambling addiction. We¡¯ve been weaning him off of it since then by introducing him to board games, but now that¡¯s his newest obsession.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    That was¡­ interesting. It also clued me in to the fact that Alder and the Unova Elite Four seemed close with each other. Good for them.

    All the bickering between Shauntal and Grimsley woke up someone else.

    ¡°Urgh¡­ let¡¯s not be so loud this early in the morning, alright? Am I clear?¡± Caitlin murmured.

    The third Elite Four member had been quietly dozing off in a seat this whole time, and she looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but here. From the way bleary, teal blue eyes stared longingly at the empty chair to her right, I had a feeling she was calculating whether or not it was comfortable enough to use as a bed. Long waves of golden locks nearly as long as her body were already pulled around her like a massive quilt, so she was halfway there to any master plan of glorious sleep.

    Caitlin Namiki. She was the newest and youngest Elite Four member at twenty-two years of age and the one who gave Shauntal ideas for novels from random dreams she had. She had emigrated from Sinnoh and moved here to Unova a few years ago. Now, Caitlin was widely known as a renowned human psychic and Psychic Specialist in the service of our country. Every regional League had tons of Psychic type Pokemon employed by them for help with Teleporting forces around the country, making protective barriers, security checks, and more. It was Caitlin¡¯s job to train such Pokemon to a competent enough level where they could do all that and be lent out to Gym Leaders and government facilities across the country.

    Needless to say, it was a very time-consuming job, and I didn¡¯t blame her for how unusually sleepy she seemed. Judging by the lack of reaction from Alder and his other Elite Four members, a tired Caitlin Namiki seemed like a pretty normal occurrence. Only the president and Mayor Lena seemed as mildly baffled as I was.

    Since Shauntal and Grimsley didn¡¯t seem likely to hear her anytime soon, Caitlin gave up. She turned away from their argument and gave me a lazy, tired wave of her hand.

    ¡°Congratulations on joining the Unova League¡­ I¡¯m Caitlin. Good night and sweet dreams,¡± she barely mumbled out between a yawn.

    Her head rolled back and hit the back of her chair, and that was that. She had officially passed out cold.

    ¡°Good grief,¡± the man sitting next to her sighed. His voice was the deepest out of everyone here. ¡°Sorry you had to witness all this chaos, Kayden, on the day of your ceremony. I¡¯m happy to welcome someone my mentor speaks so highly of into our ranks.¡±

    I stared at him. ¡°Mentor?¡±

    He grinned, jerking his head in the direction of the middle-aged man at my side. ¡°Alder, of course.¡±

    ¡°You talked about me?¡± I shifted in my seat to stare at the Champion.

    ¡°Only good things!¡± Alder promised with a sly grin. ¡°It¡¯s not often we get a new Gym Leader, you know. My Elite Four were curious about you.¡±

    Fair enough.

    I turned back to stare at the huge man sitting across from me. To say he was a giant seemed like an understatement. Thick, bulging muscles in his arms were on full display as he sat on a heavy-duty sofa unlike the rest of us in chairs. I was pretty sure that if he stood up, I¡¯d look like a Bug next to him.

    The final and oldest member of the Unova Elite Four: Marshal Cross. He was a twenty-nine-year-old Fighting Specialist and a training instructor for a lot of the League¡¯s armed forces. He wasn¡¯t one of the humans gifted enough to use Aura, but that didn¡¯t matter. Marshal was pretty damn strong without having that sort of power at his disposal. He definitely looked the part.

    Apparently, he was also Alder¡¯s apprentice. I wondered how far back said apprenticeship went and asked as much out loud.

    ¡°It was a little after the Vertress Conference,¡± Marshal remarked with a fond glint in his eyes. ¡°I placed top 32 on my first try. Alder personally came up to me after the whole thing ended and scouted me for the League. He helped me train and challenge for an Elite Four position later.¡±

    Alder stroked his chin, smiling. ¡°Now that¡¯s a trip down memory lane. You certainly had a lot of potential, though I still remember how rude you were back then. Didn¡¯t you tell me to ¡®piss off¡¯ and that you didn¡¯t need any help getting stronger?¡±

    ¡°Can you please stop bringing that up? This student of yours is still trying to erase it from his memory¡­¡± Marshal winced.

    Having apparently won her argument with Grimsley, Shauntal finally jumped into the conversation again. ¡°Are we talking about when Marshal met Alder for the first time and embarrassed himself? Because I have plenty more funny stories Alder told me of stuff he said after.¡±

    Marshal¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think she would,¡± Grimsley sang in a mocking tone, and he purposely dragged out each word.

    Caitlin probably would have contributed something if not for the fact that she was still fast asleep.

    The Unova Elite Four were an eccentric but fun bunch as I quickly learned from engaging in idle chatter with them. It helped that our ages were pretty similar in range, though¡­

    From the weary but fond look on Alder¡¯s face as he watched us interact, I wondered what it was like having to manage all of them as their supervisor. It probably wasn¡¯t too easy. He seemed like an old uncle having to control four overgrown kids.

    A few minutes later, and after exchanging phone numbers with Shauntal and Grimsley, we had to put a pin in our conversation. A League official came by and beckoned to us. Another woke up a disgruntled Caitlin.

    It was time.

    With Alder taking the lead, the rest of us trailed after him through the door onto a stage. Furious clapping sounds echoed without end.

    ¡°Champion Alder Adeku of Unova is now entering¡­¡±

    A voice spoke over an intercom, but I didn¡¯t listen to the voice announcing our arrivals.

    By all the Legends above and below was it damn bright in here.

    The overhead lights beaming down from above were one thing. The obnoxious, endless camera flashes from the back of the hall were another. Reporters fought for the best angles and views from their limited seating on the balcony level. Below them, there were hundreds of important government and League officials seated in careful rows on the ground floor¡ªall dressed smartly and all looking attentively at the stage.

    The hall and stage themselves were specially decorated for the occasion. They¡¯d rolled in some fancy new carpeting and repositioned huge flags with our national symbol on every side of the room. Everywhere you looked, there were Braviary emblazoned on expensive silk. The regal birds looked ready to take flight and soar. They were matched almost one for one by marble statues of past Unovan champions and giant paintings depicting historical moments that took up entire walls.

    As Alder took his place at a podium, I followed the others to seats prepared for us on stage. My gaze drifted across the crowd as I did.

    It wasn¡¯t hard finding Burgh. He¡¯d gotten here long before me. Though he wasn¡¯t a Gym Leader anymore, his status as a retired one plus the fact that he¡¯d endorsed me as his successor meant he was still a very important person. He sat with the rest of the Unova Gym Leaders in a special seating area. The moment I caught his eye, he smiled reassuringly and tapped his chest with a finger.

    You¡¯ve got this was what he seemed to be saying. I smiled to myself. I couldn¡¯t wait to talk to him and the other Gym Leaders after the ceremony.

    The clapping sounds gradually died down as Alder adjusted the microphone at the podium. His entire demeanor changed the moment the hall went silent. Gone was the boisterous, outgoing man who complained that he wanted to change into loungewear. He¡¯d been replaced by a dignified and beloved leader of an entire country.

    ¡°Citizens of Unova,¡± Alder spoke into the microphone, ¡°it is with great joy that we gather here this morning. Today, Kayden Sterling will take his oath of office to join the ranks of the Unova League as Castelia¡¯s next Gym Leader. To all the staff and law enforcement officers who have helped us prepare today¡¯s proceedings, we thank you for your service to the country¡­¡±

    Introductory remarks seemed to go on forever, but Alder had a natural charisma that made even boring content sound interesting. People focused on what he said all the way up to the crucial point in the ceremony. They sat up straighter in the audience when he spoke the magic words.

    ¡°We will now begin the oath of office. Kayden Sterling, please step forward.¡±

    I felt the weight of hundreds of gazes rest on me as I stood up and made my way to the podium. My steps were steady, controlled, confident. The word ¡®nervous¡¯ didn¡¯t exist in my dictionary, not now at least.

    I took my place at the podium next to Alder. Together, we watched as an official walked onto stage bearing a cushion in his hands. Eyes immediately turned from me not to the cushion that man held, but the object that rested securely on top of it and sank into its soft folds.

    There, a round stone glittered under the lights. Two colors remained unmoving yet seemed to swim inside it¡ªa white paler than any bone and a black deeper than the endless night. The two contrasting shades merged in the middle in a brilliant display of sparkles. Though the stone held no actual power, it sucked people¡¯s gazes in regardless.

    This was an object that had long been used for important ceremonies throughout Unova¡¯s history. Long ago, it was said a master craftsman from a previous era made this decorative orb in the image of the Twin Heroes and the Sacred Dragons.

    In a nation whose founders so highly valued Truth and Ideals, this stone was supposed to represent what the brothers eventually realized at the end of their long fighting. Having one or the other meant nothing. One concept by itself was not complete, whole, or even right.

    Only by meeting in the middle, only by cooperating and understanding one another¡­ Only then was that considered true unity.

    That was the real idea behind Truth and Ideals.

    This ceremonial object¡ªthe Stone of Unity¡ªrepresented Unova, its diverse cultures and peoples, and the harmonious future we all strove for.

    The official stopped inches away and held out the stone to me.

    ¡°Please place your left hand on the Stone of Unity,¡± Alder instructed.

    I did. The stone was large enough that my hand could comfortably palm its cool, smooth surface. A pleasant chill far colder than any air conditioning seemed to travel upwards through my skin.

    ¡°Now, please raise your right hand and repeat after me.¡±

    My other hand rose silently into the air.

    ¡°I, Kayden Sterling, do solemnly swear¡­¡± Alder continued.

    Without hesitation, I followed along in a loud, clear voice for all to hear.

    ¡°I, Kayden Sterling, do solemnly swear that I will be faithful to the office of Castelia Gym Leader and, to the best of my ability, preserve the peace and prosperity of Unova.¡±

    Across from me, a smile bloomed on the older man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Your vow has been heard by all. With my position as Champion and the power entrusted to me by the people of Unova, I proclaim you are now part of the Unova League¡¯s upper ranks,¡± Alder declared powerfully. His smile widened with his next few words. ¡°Congratulations, Leader Kayden.¡±

    Applause thundered in my ears the moment the last syllable left his mouth. When I took my hand off the Stone of Unity and turned to look, the whole audience had risen to their feet to clap and cheer for me. Camera flashes went off all over again as reporters snapped pictures with renewed intensity. League officials up front by the stage took commemorative photos of their own to put in official galleries and archives later.

    Countless emotions swelled in my chest. It was hard to believe I¡¯d gone from a wandering trainer to an influential figure with the joyful expectations and support of an entire country behind them. Seeing Burgh with suspiciously shiny eyes in the audience only made my emotions swell further.

    As Alder took a seat with the others on stage and the official with the stone walked away, I was left by myself at the podium. Noise levels in the hall settled once more as people sat back down. They all knew it was time for my short remarks¡ªmy very first words as the official Gym Leader of the world¡¯s largest city.

    No outlines, no notecards.

    Nothing.

    I hadn¡¯t brought any such things with me. Everything was stored safely in my head and heart.

    Words flowed from my mouth in a careful, familiar rhythm.

    ¡°To be the next Castelia Gym Leader is an incredible honor and a duty I will uphold with my entire being,¡± I promised. My heart thumped gently in my chest. ¡°I did not reach this point alone. To those who helped guide me here¡ªmy friends, family, Pokemon, and the dear people of my hometown and Unova at large¡ªI am beyond grateful for your support, and I hope you will watch over me as I work to ensure the continued prosperity of our nation.¡±

    Gold eyes swept their gaze across the sea of faces. They never lingered for long. Behind my eyelids, memories both bittersweet and happy flashed one after another.

    ¡°Unova is many things. It is diverse, beautiful, and free. We are the land of freedom where hopes and dreams intersect, and where people can choose the future they want for themselves. I swear to protect that way of life.¡±

    The words came so naturally to me because they were right. They felt right.

    This was what I wanted to do from now on.

    To anyone else out there who was listening, who had gone through experiences like I did or had yet to¡­ I wanted to tell them to keep going.

    I would do my best to keep steering this country in a positive direction and make it a place people were proud of.

    ¡°I swear to live by the founding ideals of our nation and uphold them. I will be a pillar for my community, one that never breaks, and a symbol of hope others can look to.¡±

    I exhaled softly, smiling.

    ¡°I will pave a path to their bright futures¡ªthis I swear.¡±

    Cheers louder than any before echoed in the hall.

    People didn¡¯t bother acting with decorum and rose to their feet with heavy, furious clapping and roars of approval. It didn¡¯t matter what political party they belonged to. It didn¡¯t matter what they thought right now.

    They were witnesses to the birth of Unova¡¯s newest Gym Leader, the young man named Kayden Sterling.

    I smiled and raised a hand to the sea of motion and lights.

    There was no going back. Not now, not ever.

    This was where I belonged.

 Interlude â€” Pokenet I

    INTERLUDE ¡ª Pokenet I

    <hr>

    DUNCORD

    THE BUGGY BUNCH (Community Server)

    ? 51,293 Online ? 108,892 Members

    Scaly critters, winged buddies, hairy spiders¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter. If you love Bugs, you¡¯ve come to the right place. Our server is full of entomologists from all over the world! Abide by the rules, or we¡¯ll kindly ask you to buzz off!

    1. Please follow Duncord¡¯s TOS.

    2. Be respectful to other members on the server. No personal attacks! No flame wars! No harassment! Etcetera, etcetera.

    3. Try to post stuff in the right channels.

    4. There is one and only one exception to rule two: if you get antsy enough, you¡¯re allowed to bug people. BUG THEM! BUT DO IT NICELY! ¦Å=¦Å=¦Å=¦Å=(£þ¨Œ£þ)

    Main Hive ¡ú #kayden-sterling

    Because y¡¯all bugged the mods so much (and you know who you are, you¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t get banned), we¡¯ve made a new and permanent channel under this category dedicated to the renowned Bug Specialist Kayden Sterling. No bot commands are allowed in here.

    Kakunamatata ? Today at 3:54 AM

    I KNEW ABOUT KAYDEN BEFORE ANY OF YOU! I WAS HIS FAN BEFORE ANY OF YOU! Bruh, nobody listened to me last year when I shared his public IBC battles on the server. I told you he was a fucking badass!

    Serperior Academic ? Today at 3:54 AM

    Alright, we get it, we should have pulled our head out of our asses and paid more attention to niche battling scenes outside of regional Conferences. But can you blame us? The most famous trainers are those who participate in yearly League Circuits. Plus, the guy kind of faded into obscurity after he beat up those Elite Fours and Champions as a teenager. He went traveling around the world.

    Ultimate Bug Catcher (Mod) ? Today at 3:54 AM

    I follow him on Chatter and Indeegram! He¡¯s actually pretty active on social media. Lots of cool pics from countries and remote places he¡¯s visited.

    Kakunamatata ? Today at 3:54 AM

    WHO CARESSSSS ABOUT HIS TRAVELS RIGHT NOW! People, the match he had with that ex-Elite Four member is so much more important!

    Ran Out Of Repels ? Today at 3:54 AM

    BRB. Screaming crying sobbing on my knees. Witnessing that battle live today almost made my eyes glaze over from sheer ecstasy. THE APEX OF BUGS! CHAMPION LEVEL BUGS!

    Kakunamatata ? Today at 3:54 AM

    Wait @Ran Out Of Repels you live in Castelia?! AND you saw the battle live? Fuck you¡¯re so lucky!!!

    Beesy Right Now ? Today at 3:55 AM

    Give us the deets! Hurry!

    Ran Out Of Repels ? Today at 3:55 AM

    What do you want me to say? It was epic? Bamboozling? Magnificent? Stupendous? Prodigious? Spectacular? Heart-wrenching? There are so many words in the dictionary and yet not enough to properly describe how awesome that match was.

    Sewaddling Out ? Today at 3:55 AM

    No, that¡¯s not what we want to hear! Kricketune, my boi! How big were his wings?! They looked bigger than average! How long were his arms?! He sliced and diced like an Arceus damned chef cooking a full-course meal live for customers at a restaurant!

    Ant-agonist ? Today at 3:55 AM

    No one can disrespect the GOAT now after that display.

    Pin, Sir? ? Today at 3:55 AM

    Gotta correct you there. ALL Bugs can¡¯t be disrespected anymore. Fear the living, undying swarm!

    Beesy Right Now ? Today at 3:55 AM

    Let¡¯s fucking goooo! Bug supremacy!

    Pikaboo ? Today at 3:55 AM

    I¡¯ve always been partial to Galvantula personally. Let it not be said spiders can¡¯t fly. I¡¯ll redirect them to Kayden¡¯s match versus Sierra from now on. His spider wrecked the shit out of the field and those Fire types!

    Cherubi Slippers ? Today at 3:55 AM

    BOOM! BOOM! SO MANY BOOMS! Dear Arceus, Kayden and his Galvantula awakened a love of explosions in me that I never knew I had.

    Ant-agonist ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Yikes, hope you¡¯re not considering pursuing a career in architecture.

    Shuckle Chuckles ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Petition to turn that match into a full-on blockbuster horror movie! Our eldritch Bug brethren deserve as much! Night of the Living Bugs maybe? I¡¯m not good with titles.

    Ant-agonist ? Today at 3:56 AM

    I¡¯d watch the heck out of that movie. I should be studying for my exam tomorrow, but I can¡¯t concentrate for the life of me because of Kayden¡¯s Volcarona. Did you see its tough scales?! Its velvety, fluttery wings full of flying embers that could cook me alive?! Ugh. I love Volcarona so much.

    Beesy Right Now ? Today at 3:56 AM

    YEEEEES I¡¯m so glad someone brought that up! We have our second Volcarona in Unova!!! Kayden¡¯s is so strong!

    Shuckle Chuckles ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Eh? Didn¡¯t Alder¡¯s grandson have one?

    Beesy Right Now ? Today at 3:56 AM

    He does, but it¡¯s a Larvesta. It¡¯s the only offspring Alder¡¯s Volcarona has produced until now. Last I heard, his grandkid was out traveling the Galovea Continent to see the world and get more experience.

    Pin, Sir? ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Starting today, I¡¯m going to worship Kayden¡¯s Volcarona and pray to it every night that I can ace my midterms¡­

    Serperior Academic ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Erm, I don¡¯t think it quite works like that¡­ It was treated like a deity in old Unova. It¡¯s not actually a Legendary or we¡¯d have problems on our hands.

    Pin, Sir? ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Praise the Sun!

    Kakunamatata ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Praise the Sun!

    Serperior Academic ? Today at 3:56 AM

    (Ugh, fine.) Praise the Sun!

    Sir Paras ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Good Eevee-ning everyone, what have I missed? Wait, why are you guys awake at 4 AM in the morning?

    Serperior Academic ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Jeez, that pun was Ghastly. And to answer your question: because we can. The Buggy Bunch is always ready to bug out anytime and anywhere. Right, guys?

    Kakunamatata ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Hey, that pun wasn¡¯t too bad either. I found it so humerus I think I Fraxured my funny Cubone.

    Ran Out Of Repels ? Today at 3:56 AM

    Oh Arceus¡­ MOD! MOD! Any mod, get in here and stop them please! I¡¯m going to go insane!

    Sewaddling Out ? Today at 3:57 AM

    No, don¡¯t summon them because¡ª

    Ultimate Bug Catcher (Mod) ? Today at 3:57 AM

    I beg your pardon? You want us to Dewott?

    Just Another Worker Combee (Mod) ? Today at 3:57 AM

    I¡¯m gonna have to Axew some questions about what¡¯s going on here.

    Sewaddling Out ? Today at 3:57 AM

    Yeah¡­ because our mods like puns, too. Great. Well, see you on the other side. It¡¯s human nature to jump onto the bandwagon rather than go against it.

    Ran Out Of Repels ? Today at 3:57 AM

    Huh?! Wait a second¡ª

    Sewaddling Out ? Today at 3:57 AM

    *in a singsong voice* Ekans see clearly now, the rain is gooooone~

    Ran Out Of Repels ? Today at 3:57 AM

    You damn traitor! Must¡­ resist¡­

    Sir Paras ? Today at 3:57 AM

    Come on, there¡¯s no Shaymin having fun.

    Ultimate Bug Catcher (Mod) ? Today at 3:57 AM

    Yeah! We just Swanna have some fun.

    Ran Out Of Repels ? Today at 3:58 AM

    Good grief, this is utterly onix-ceptable behavior!

    Shuckle Chuckles ? Today at 3:58 AM

    Kekekekeke¡­ we¡¯ve successfully converted him to the dark side!

    <hr>

    TEDDIT

    r/kaydensterling ¡ú Posted by u/FireManiac3 1d ago

    In honor of a FIRE battle (Meme)

    [PHOTO: Sierra Brooks holding a flamethrower device in hand that¡¯s spewing out massive flames and setting absolutely everything on fire¡­ including a tiny Kricketune.

    Caption reads: OMA, WTF IS THAT? Quick, kill it with fire!]

    56.1k Upvotes / 2k+ Comments

    Sort By: Best ¡ú

    YodelingWhismur ? 1d ago

    Bruh, I¡¯m choking from laughter. Thanks for this.

    1k+ Upvotes / Reply / Share

    TheOrbeatles ? 1d ago

    911: ¡°What¡¯s your emergency?¡±

    Sierra: ¡°I can¡¯t kill this cricket.¡±

    911: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can you repeat that?¡±

    Sierra: ¡°I¡¯ve spent hours torching this cricket with a flamethrower and it just won¡¯t die.¡±

    911: ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t kill a cricket with fire?¡±

    Sierra: ¡°Yep.¡±

    2k+ Upvotes / Reply / Share / (1 TEDDIT AWARD)

    ¡ª LaziestPurugly ? 1d ago

    /slow claps/ Okay you sly bastard, you¡¯ve earned it. Take this award for your contribution to meme society.

    [This user has given the poster a Teddit award!]

    5.6k Upvotes / Reply / Share

    ¡ª TheOrbeatles ? 1d ago

    Many thanks, fellow memer. All in a day¡¯s work.

    3.2k Upvotes / Reply / Share

    ¡ª Kiss My Cookie ? 1d ago

    I think you mean all in a fire¡¯s work.

    1.2k Upvotes / Reply / Share

    <hr>

    POKETUBE

    BATTLE CENTRAL

    @BattleCentral ? 15.6M subscribers ? 7k+ videos

    Battle Central brings you all the latest news and analysis videos on matches of all kinds. Whether they¡¯re matches from tournaments, regional Conferences, exhibitions, or even just random battles between trainers that go viral, our experts will break them down for you in a professional and comprehensive manner. You can also find more detailed breakdowns and other information via articles on our website.

    Subscribe ? Join

    Home / Videos / Shorts / Live / Playlists / Community / Channels

    LATEST ¡ú

    [THUMBNAIL: Kayden Sterling and Sierra Brooks standing across from each other on a rundown, weed-infested battlefield and Pokeballs being thrown from their hands.]

    A SACRED DUEL BETWEEN BUGS AND FIRE: Kayden Sterling v. Sierra Brooks

    4M+ views ? 1 day ago

    In a clash of truth versus ideals, only one side can prevail! Join experts Joshua Tang and Parker Holmes as they analyze the surprise match caught on film between Castelia Gym Leader candidate Kayden Sterling and former Elite Four member Sierra Brooks. After the original video for this match went viral on Chatter, the Battle Central filming team arrived on scene as soon as possible to collect our own footage of it.

    [Play Video at 1:03? ¡ú Yes]

    [Experts Tang and Holmes sit comfortably in armchairs with a small table full of papers, pens, and remotes between them. Behind their chairs, a huge monitor on the wall is replaying the match between Kayden Sterling and Sierra Brooks. Two smaller screens off to the side display icons, bar graphs, and other numerical data.]

    ¡°¡ªnot often you see a fight like this one,¡± Expert Tang explains while stroking his chin. ¡°In general, high-level trainers tend to train and secretly fight battles away from prying eyes. You see this every year with trainers who qualify for the Vertress Conference. Nobody wants their team¡¯s secrets or strength levels to be gauged accurately before the big competition. It¡¯s even more difficult to see high-profile, elite trainers like these two fight in public. Most of the time, elite trainers prefer to battle in private.¡±

    ¡°Yes, so what a treat it is!¡± Expert Holmes agrees. He smiles enthusiastically and points his remote at the smaller screens, pulling up pictures of Kayden and Sierra. ¡°For those who are unaware, Sierra Brooks is a former Unova Elite Four member who was replaced years ago by Tyson Chirulle¡ªalso a former Elite Four¡ªin an official challenge for her position. Sierra is a veteran Fire Specialist from Lacunosa Town up in the northeast of Unova! She was nominated by the civilian side of our government to be the next Castelia Gym Leader.¡±

    His co-host, Tang, smoothly follows up. ¡°Her opponent was Kayden Sterling, the man of the hour and Castelia Gym Leader candidate nominated by Alder and the League! Kayden is a Bug Specialist hailing from our very own Castelia City here in Unova and an Ability Holder according to his online trainer profile and public registries online. He is also a member of the IBC, a global organization that hosts professional competitions, so he has more recent public matches compared to Sierra even if they¡¯re very short matchups.¡±

    ¡°There are many young trainers who catch Bugs at the beginning of their journeys, but authentic Bug Specialists are few and far in between. High-level ones are like finding needles in haystacks! They¡¯re very rare. We¡¯d like to stress that ANY Pokemon of ANY typing and species can become powerful with hard work, but there are those that take a little more effort. Bug types require a special kind of care and hard work to raise into elite Pokemon.¡±

    ¡°The most famous Bug Specialists would be household names like Bugsy Tsukushi, Viola Legrand, Katy Kalino, former Gym Leader Burgh Arty, and Sinnoh Elite Four Aaron Ryougu. Now it seems we can unanimously add one more to their ranks: Kayden Sterling!¡±

    ¡°Those of us here at Battle Central regret not creating a video on Kayden Sterling before, but we¡¯re correcting that today.¡±

    ¡°This is a quick disclaimer and notice, but due to some graphic elements in battle clips shown in certain segments, this video is rated R15! This is a warning that some parts of the battle may upset people¡¯s stomachs.¡±

    ¡°Now, with our obligatory warning out of the way¡­ let¡¯s dive into things!¡±

    [Skip to 3:17]

    ¡°¡ªtune is a very rare Pokemon for trainers to raise or use in high tier battling. Kricketune is more often a companion Pokemon or one seen working with orchestras and troupes for its exquisite musical capabilities,¡± Holmes remarks.

    ¡°Kayden Sterling¡¯s Kricketune has soundly smashed¡ªor in this case, sliced¡ªapart any preconceived notions about this species. Truly a remarkable fighter! It was able to soundly defeat two of Sierra¡¯s Pokemon. Type advantages or disadvantages don¡¯t mean much especially in high-tier battles between the strongest trainers, and Kricketune proved that today,¡± Tang agrees. He points with a finger to the big screen as Kricketune extinguishes fire blasted from Simisear. ¡°Viewers, do you see that?¡±

    ¡°Vibrations from sound are capable of disrupting the flow of air around flames, thus separating much needed oxygen and putting out fire much like Kricketune has done. I must stress these are VERY powerful soundwaves to be able to extinguish flames as intense as these. This is a Bug type that has climbed to the top of its field!¡± Holmes explains with animated hand gestures.

    ¡°You can see later, but Kricketune is even capable of multitasking. He emits disrupting soundwaves from both its antennae and arms to literally cleave flames apart while getting closer to his target¡ª¡±

    [Skip to 8:03]

    ¡°¡ªaaaaand here is where things get a bit dicey for your stomachs, folks,¡± Holmes warns with a playful smile. In the background, a clip plays of Kricketune¡¯s half-shredded body as he rips Heatmor apart. ¡°Even with the Ability Swarm activating, this is no berserker! This is an elegant swordmaster cutting his way to victory!¡±

    Tang holds up a notecard and taps it with two fingers. ¡°We don¡¯t usually do this, but since we received a very common question from the live chat, we¡¯ll answer it on camera. Holmes, our viewers are asking us this: why did Kayden not have his Kricketune use Perish Song to end the fight with Emboar before it went down?¡±

    Holmes grins.

    ¡°That¡¯s a very easy question to answer, my friend,¡± he snaps his fingers. ¡°Burgh Arty was there as the referee, and in the original video trending online, you can hear him go over the match rules. Six-on-six with no switch-ins allowed. That¡¯s the important bit here. Moves like Perish Song and Sheer Cold are notoriously hard to learn even for the most experienced of trainers. They¡¯re also too lethal to use in actual matches unless the user is skilled enough to adjust their potency.¡±

    ¡°General trainer and battle etiquette rules have a clause about this exact situation. The use of moves like Perish Song or Sheer Cold is allowed in officiated matches, but only if their potency is adjusted so that they do not kill the opposing Pokemon. It is also forbidden to use them in matches with no switch-ins as it is considered an almost certain knockout for that person¡¯s Pokemon and thus a so-called ¡®cheap move.¡¯¡±

    [Skip to 15:49]

    ¡°Now here¡¯s a Pokemon people in Unova know a lot more about! Galvantula and its pre-evolved form are part of the native wildlife!¡± Holmes exclaims, and he raps his knuckles against the table. ¡°This spider was also able to take on two of Sierra¡¯s by itself!¡±

    Behind him, the biggest monitor is lit up in blinding white as the field explodes.

    ¡°With an excellent use of electricity and magnetism to let it fly through the skies, Galvantula eventually made the whole field blow up. The spider took the massive power of Emboar¡¯s flames and used it against the Pokemon by having it react violently with electric webbing amplified by Bug type energy¡ª¡±

    [Skip to 19:17]

    ¡°¡ªagain, an obligatory warning to look away if you¡¯re not comfortable with a more graphic Pokemon battle.¡±

    In the background, images flash by of Galvantula¡¯s legs getting blown off.

    ¡°In the matchup of Galvantula versus Magmortar, we saw the latter divert incoming electricity into the ground at its feet. Of course, it couldn¡¯t do that forever. The ground could only hold so much of it, and when you have Thunder after Thunder coming in from a Champion-level Pokemon¡­ that¡¯s a tall order.¡±

    ¡°Right, and eventually, that mixed Bug and Electric Terrain reached its limit. It was full of earth-shattering Thunders by then, and one last nudge from Galvantula made all those redirected Thunders in the ground go KABOOM¡ª¡±

    [Skip to 24:01]

    ¡°¡ªurprised everyone by releasing a Volcarona!¡± Tang gasps. ¡°Even among videos of past matches that our team scoured through, we couldn¡¯t find a lot where Kayden used his Volcarona. According to his trainer profile, it¡¯s his oldest Pokemon and starter.¡±

    ¡°Especially for the people of Unova, they don¡¯t need to be told how incredibly rare and powerful this Pokemon is,¡± his co-host adds. ¡°Plenty of legends surround this species. There have been debates by battle experts and historians about whether or not to include Volcarona in the ranks of so-called pseudo-legendaries. Some have even argued it¡¯s one tier above them.¡±

    ¡°The most famous trainer with a Volcarona is obviously Unova¡¯s very own Champion, Alder Adeku. Only a few other people in the world are known to have it or its pre-evolved form as a companion, but most of them are researchers or long retired as trainers.¡±

    ¡°This Volcarona produced flames so intense that even an elite Chandelure¡¯s Flash Fire ability could only allow it to absorb so much¡ª¡±

    [Skip to 31:20]

    ¡°¡ªit was like observing old Unovan legends at work. Volcarona protected itself with a cocoon of flames against Darmanitan¡¯s onslaught.¡±

    ¡°Much to our chagrin, our team of experts still isn¡¯t sure what the finishing move was. We believe it was probably the purest, most powerful form of Bug type energy condensed into searing light¡ª¡±

    [Skip to 42:48]

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about you, Parker, but Kayden Sterling is one guy I wouldn¡¯t want to mess with,¡± Tang laughs.

    His co-host joins him with loud chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Tang. Kayden Sterling and his Bug types have proven just how monstrous they are. They don¡¯t know the meaning of ¡®stop.¡¯ This is truly a Champion-level trainer and his Pokemon, folks. Those of us at Battle Central are looking forward to following Kayden Sterling¡¯s trainer career from here on out.¡±

    [Pause Video]

    1M+ Comments

    Sort By ¡ú Top Comments

    Pinned by @BattleCentral

    @BattleCentral (Verified) ? 1 day ago

    Please, we¡¯d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section!

    340k+ likes / Reply

    ¡ª View Replies (559k+)

    @GoGogoat ? 21 hours ago

    ????? Kricketune is actually OP?!

    5k+ likes / Reply

    ¡ª View Replies (25)

    ¡ª @I have 2 nuggets ? 2 hours ago

    @GoGogoat You mean ¡®secretly¡¯ OP. It was just hiding in plain sight. :p

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    89 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Crazy Meowth Lady ? 2 hours ago

    @GoGogoat Kricketune took the meaning of ¡®one thousand cuts¡¯ up a notch I think.

    105 likes / Reply

    @Briana West (Verified) ? 7 hours ago

    WTF nobody told me Bugs could survive Fire! Guess burning my house down next time I see a cockroach isn¡¯t an option then¡­

    3.2k+ likes / Reply

    @let it seeeeel ? 9 minutes ago

    VOLCARONA! UNOVA! KAYDEN! Legendaries, I feel so proud to be a Unovan citizen today. See that, world?! WE HAVE A SHIT TON OF BUGS, AND THEY¡¯RE STRONG! *cue evil cackling*

    2 likes / Reply

    @LetHerCook ? 10 hours ago

    LMFAO the video is rated R15?! That¡¯s hilarious. My younger siblings wanted to watch the video with me, but our mom put her foot down and told me not to let them see.

    2.4k+ likes / Reply

    ¡ª View Replies (11)

    ¡ª @hungry trubbish ? 36 minutes ago

    @LetHerCook :laughing: :laughing: Yeah, it¡¯s not the prettiest battle you¡¯ll see, but high-tier battles tend to get messy in the first place.

    36 likes / Reply

    @Gotta Ketchup All ? 15 hours ago

    Was anyone else hoping to see what other Pokemon Kayden has? He¡¯s got so many different Pokeballs but only got to use three of them.

    9k+ likes / Reply

    ¡ª View Replies (6.7k+)

    ¡ª @TinyLotad ? 14 hours ago

    /shrugs/ Them¡¯s the breaks. It was a one-sided beatdown!

    561 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Ace of Staryu ? 1 hour ago

    I mean¡­ if you REALLY want to know what other Pokemon he has, you can just Zoogle his trainer profile. You can find it on Caterpedia or any phone apps like Battle Central Stats or Trainer Builds.

    157 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Meowther ? 1 hour ago

    How is he allowed to have so many? Ain¡¯t the maximum carry limit six?

    120 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @AspiringTrainerACE ? 1 hour ago

    @Meowther For most regular trainers, yes. For elite trainers, nope. You can carry more than six Pokemon with you as long as you qualify for it. These are the requirements:

    1. You have to obtain at least eight badges from major gyms of any region with an official League.

    2. You have to pass a League-mandated exam that comes in three parts. First, a written exam on Pokemon care and biology. Second, an interview with League officials. Third, a physical and psychological examination of your Pokemon to make sure they are well cared for and not abused in any way.

    3. Last but not least, you need a letter of recommendation from a regional Professor or a high-ranking League official who can vouch for your ability to handle more than six Pokemon.

    577 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Meowther ? 1 hour ago

    @AspiringTrainerACE Damn, thanks for all the info! The requirements are so strict. Yeesh.

    76 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @AspiringTrainerACE ? 1 hour ago

    @Meowther No problem! Happy to help. And yeah, they kind of have to be strict because they can¡¯t risk letting trainers get in over their heads. Nobody wants to see Pokemon getting abused. :(

    The privilege of having more than six Pokemon with you at a time comes with a lot of responsibilities. You have to let them outside of their Pokeballs regularly so they can get exercise, you need to be able to make enough money to buy them all the food they need to be healthy, etc.

    That¡¯s why with all this in mind, you typically only see high-ranking Conference goers or people like Gym Leaders with more than six personal Pokemon. They¡¯re the ones who usually rake in enough dough to make everything work.

    88 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @FLYGON IS THE BEST ? 1 hour ago

    This discussion is cool and all, but I REALLY wanted to see his Flygon let loose. Bug/Dragon for the win!

    4 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @AspiringTrainerACE ? 1 hour ago

    @FLYGON IS THE BEST ??

    51 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Meowther ? 1 hour ago

    @FLYGON IS THE BEST ??

    43 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Ace of Staryu ? 1 hour ago

    @FLYGON IS THE BEST ?? Uh¡­ buddy, Flygon is officially classified as a Ground/Dragon type.

    42 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @FLYGON IS THE BEST ? 1 hour ago

    @Ace of Staryu WAIT, WHAT?! You¡¯re kidding, right? Please tell me you¡¯re kidding. My whole world is shattering to pieces right now.

    9 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Ace of Staryu ? 1 hour ago

    @FLYGON IS THE BEST Yeah¡­ hate to break it to you, buddy, but it ain¡¯t no Bug. Real close to one, though. Professors and researchers have been debating Flygon¡¯s typing and biology since forever. Some wanted to classify it as Bug/Ground and others Bug/Dragon. There¡¯s a lot of arguments for and against.

    29 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @FLYGON IS THE BEST ? 1 hour ago

    @Ace of Staryu Truth was super effective! FLYGON IS THE BEST has fainted. :( Well, fuck.

    57 likes / Reply

    @That time i got reincarnated as a weedle ? 18 hours ago

    Okay, that was friggin¡¯ SICK! Kayden, I¡¯m your newest fan!

    10.1k+ likes / Reply

    @TinyLotad ? 5 hours ago

    Bruh, those aren¡¯t Pokemon anymore but zombies. ZOMBIES, I tell you! Holy flipping Arceus, I¡¯m pretty sure I have a new phobia of Bugs now.

    855 likes / Reply

    ¡ª View Replies (71)

    ¡ª @dontpressthebutton ? 58 minutes ago

    @TinyLotad Yeah, if anyone asks me to choose between fighting a horde of Dragons or a swarm of Bugs, I¡¯ll take the horde of Dragons, thanks. Can¡¯t deal with those unnerving stares or screeches. Makes my whole body break out in shivers and goosebumps.

    46 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @8-UP ? 58 minutes ago

    @dontpressthebutton No kidding. Did you see the way little insects made from type energy crawled over their bodies like a moving swarm? I almost threw up. Those makeshift, wriggling, monster-thingy legs are going to give me nightmares for days¡­ I¡¯m going to need to sleep with a nightlight¡­

    90 likes / Reply

    ¡ª @Bug Lover 4Ever ? 57 minutes ago

    @dontpressthebutton @8-UP Tsk, tsk. Y¡¯all don¡¯t get it. That¡¯s exactly what makes Bugs cool AF! They¡¯re living monsters straight out of a horror film!

    82 likes / Reply

    <hr>

    INDEEGRAM

    shauntalsoma (Verified) ? League HQ, Union Peak

    [PHOTO: A selfie of Shauntal smiling next to Kayden and a blurry Grimsley in the background.]

    shauntalsoma (Verified) Waiting for the swearing-in ceremony with our newest Gym Leader! I feel so inspired. I think I¡¯ll pick up my pen after this and write down ideas!

    101,730 Likes

    Posted 44 minutes ago

    NatuMe I feel it. I just KNOW it. Shauntal has a new story idea in mind, and her newest victim is Kayden Sterling!

    19 min ? 21 likes ? Reply

    ¡ª View Replies (1)

    ¡ª Jellycent @NatuMe You¡¯re onto something. She looks so excited. It definitely has to be a new novel in the works.

    17 min ? 6 likes ? Reply

    INeedSugar Aww, they look so close already! It¡¯s nice to see the Unova elites getting along. Wish I could say the same for me and my brothers.

    5 min ? 91 likes ? Reply

    ¡ª View Replies (12)

    ¡ª shauntalsoma (Verified) @INeedSugar How did you know? I was thinking I¡¯d invite Kayden to a game of Monopoly sometime! Maybe T&T, too.

    1 min ? 65 likes ? Reply

    ¡ª NatuMe (Psst, can anyone tell me what¡¯s T&T?)

    1 min ? 34 likes ? Reply

    ¡ª INeedSugar @NatuMe fjalksdfa; HOLY FLIP did Shauntal actually reply to me?! And to answer your question, T&T stands for Trainers & Tactics. It¡¯s a really popular fantasy tabletop role-playing game. Give it a try if you¡¯re interested! Really fun to play with friends and let your imaginations take flight.

    Just now ? 1 like ? Reply

    <hr>

    FRILLBOOK

    CASTELIA SKYLINE

    About

    <ul>

    <li> Welcome to Castelia Skyline, a community page for the locals of the world¡¯s largest city.</li>

    <li> Chat and make new friends, share interesting things happening around the block, and take pride in being a Castelia local here!</li>

    <li> Engage in respectful discussions, or you¡¯ll get warned and banned at a mod¡¯s discretion.</li>

    </ul>

    Discussion / Newest Activity ¡ú

    Fiona Simmons (Admin) ? 1h

    Rise and shine, Castelia! You probably already recognize me since I¡¯m one of the top contributors here, but I¡¯m one of the administrators for this Frillbook Community Page. Everybody already knows, but Burgh retired last month. He¡¯s chosen Kayden Sterling to be his successor, and parliament has now officially voted him into office! We¡¯ll be using this as a megapost to express thoughts about our newest Gym Leader. Congratulations, Kayden! Chat in the comments below.

    1k+ reactions / 5,612 comments

    Top Comments ¡ú

    Lena Gardel Congratulations, Kayden. I¡¯m looking forward to working together with you from now on.

    1h / Like / Reply

    ¡ª Nigel Maharu Lena Gardel Wow, it¡¯s the Mayor! Thank you for all your hard work.

    1h / Like / Reply

    Mary Hallister Kayden seems like a nice young man! He actually let his Galvantula play with my son before in the park. I can¡¯t wait for the next League Circuit season to open so I can bring my son to see some matches. He¡¯s been doing all his chores without complaint!

    1h / Like / Reply

    Jimmy Syuuro I¡¯ve never really cared for Bugs, but as long as he does his job right and help protect the city, then hats off to him.

    1h / Like / Reply

    Micky Greenfall I¡¯m still sad about Burgh retiring, but let¡¯s support his successor! The Castelia Gym is the pride of our city.

    1h / Like / Reply

    <hr>

    CATERPEDIA

    Welcome to Caterpedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

    Main Page ¡ú Article

    KAYDEN STERLING

    Page / Talk

    [PHOTO: Picture of Kayden Sterling in casual wear from May 202X.]

    Kayden Sterling (born September 2, 19XX) is the Castelia City Gym Leader and a notable Bug Specialist in the Galovea Continent. He is also an Ability Holder.

    Personal Details

    Age (26) / Height (5¡¯11¡¯¡¯) / Hair Color (Brown) / Eye Color (Gold) / Marks (Tattoo)

    Early Life

    Kayden Sterling was born on September 2, 19XX in Castelia City as the son of Kalvin and Madison Sterling. He grew up in Lower Castelia.

    When he was six years old, Sterling was exiled from Unova in a series of events that has come to be known as the Unovan Parliament Exiles. He and his father moved to Hau¡¯oli City, Alola where they obtained dual citizenship.

    Travels

    Kayden Sterling has traveled all over the world. He has visited the most affluent regions within the World Alliance¡¯s sphere of influence¡ªthe Kinjoh Area to the east and Galovea Continent to the west¡ªas well as islands and less developed regions in other areas.

    Gym Leader Career

    Information not available yet.

    Sterling is former Gym Leader Burgh Arty¡¯s chosen successor for the Castelia Gym. He specializes in Bug type Pokemon like his predecessors.

    Personal Life

    Sterling¡¯s presence and posts on social media indicate he is fond of traveling the world and exploring new places and restaurants. He also possesses a number of certifications for first aid, CPR, boating, scuba diving, bartending, and a host of other activities.

    Trainer Profile

    Sterling is a Champion-level trainer who specializes in Bug type Pokemon.

    Sterling¡¯s personal team includes sixteen different members. His starter Pokemon is a Volcarona named Rune.

    Click here for detailed information regarding his team such as known moves, abilities, etc.

    Match History

    May 28, 202X: Kayden Sterling v. Sierra Brooks (6-2) [Match details: Elite tier, six-on-six, no switches, no Mega Evolution]

    Accomplishments

    In May of 202X, and with an endorsement from retired Gym Leader Burgh Arty, Sterling was nominated by Champion Alder Adeku and the Unova League as a candidate for the next Castelia Gym Leader. Parliament later voted and officially appointed him to the position. He is the second ever Ability Holder to join the upper echelons of the Unova League¡¯s ranks.

    Sterling¡¯s accolades include competing in and winning several League Circuits and Conferences outside of Unova. He also defeated a few different regional Elite Fours and Champions in his teenage years.

    Edit History ¡ú Most Recent

    ¡­

    Added to References section ¡ú 19) Official trainer profile, Kayden Sterling. 20) Unova League¡¯s website, News and Archive sections.

    Page / Talk

    @Praise The Sun Came here because of the whole Unovan Parliament Exiles shebang. Got redirected from that page.

    @Triple Yawn Kayden¡¯s life story is pretty sad, yeah¡­ Can¡¯t imagine what it¡¯s like having to leave your home and everything you know behind at the drop of a hat.

    @2Pidoves Yeah¡­ T _ T I feel really bad for the guy. Glad he managed to succeed out there, and even more glad he decided to come back home. Show ¡®em who¡¯s boss, king!

    @CENTS I knew about Kayden since before the whole thing blew up. Been his fan ever since he competed in League Circuits early on in his trainer career.

    @2Pidoves Damn, you¡¯re one of his earliest fans then?

    @CENTS Not to brag, but yeah. :D I might not live in Unova or be able to go see his gym matches in the fall, but I¡¯m rooting for the guy! Do your best as a Gym Leader from now on, Kayden!

    <hr>

    CHATTER

    TRENDING IN UNOVA

    #KaydenSterling

    #BugsVsFire

    #BugPokemon

    #CasteliaCity

    #SierraBrooks

    Kayden Fan Club (Verified)

    @KaydenFanClub

    The Official Kayden Sterling Fan Club. Come on, let¡¯s set the Pokenet abuzz together!

    2 Following 561K Followers

    [Followed by @CENTS, @burghfanclub, and more]

    Posts ¡ú

    Pinned by @KaydenFanClub

    Kayden Fan Club (Verified) @KaydenFanClub ? 1h ago

    Congratulations, Kayden, on becoming the Castelia Gym Leader! :heart: :heart: :heart: We¡¯ve followed all your battling exploits in the IBC and travels across the world! We¡¯ll support you in your new career, too! GO BUGS!

    [PHOTOS: Gallery of six photos showing different angles of Kayden in his dress suit as well as close-ups of his face.]

    [VIDEO: Highlight reel of top moments from Kayden Sterling¡¯s swearing-in ceremony.]

    21K Comments / 33K ReChats / 56K Likes / 98K Views

    ¡ª View Comments (10K+)

    gloominitup (Verified) @gloominitup ? 1h

    T _ T LOOK HOW GOOD OUR KING LOOKS! He¡¯s decked out in drip, that¡¯s for sure.

    MimiKYUU @mimikyuu88 ? 1h

    AHHHH I LOVE YOU KAYDEN! This is the first time he¡¯s been spotted in formalwear! He looks so handsome. T _ T

    ¡ª Burgh Fan Club (Verified) @burghfanclub ? 1h ago

    Congrats, Kayden! Burgh will always be our biggest bias, but we¡¯ll support his successor with all our hearts!

    ¡ª Chihira Yau @chihirayau ? 30m

    I¡¯ve literally never heard of Kayden before, but I¡¯m stanning him from today on. His fashion is on point. Love the earring. Does that tattoo on his neck mean anything? It looks sick!

    GROSS BUGS GROSS @wholikesbugs111 ? 1m

    [This reply has been deleted by a moderator for offensive content. The user has been banned from the page and their post reported.]

    Kayden Sterling (Verified)

    @kaydensterling

    Live your life to the fullest. Castelia Gym Leader & Bug Specialist.

    102 Following 891K Followers

    [Followed by @KaydenFanClub, @globalhivesociety, @burgharty, @arinwatanuki, and more]

    Posts ¡ú Sort By Latest

    Kayden Sterling (Verified) @kaydensterling ? 1 hour ago

    Guess who¡¯s the next Castelia Gym Leader?

    42K Comments / 145K ReChats / 290K Likes / 412K Views

    View Comments (50K+)

    yaboiguzma @yaboiguzma ? Just now

    @yaboiguzma hell yeah. show ¡®em who¡¯s boss round those parts!

    0 Comments / 0 ReChats / 0 Likes / 2 Views

    Burgh Arty (Verified) @burgharty ? 1h ago

    @kaydensterling You¡¯re going to be a great Gym Leader, Kayden. I¡¯m already proud of you and all the things you¡¯ll accomplish.

    11K Comments / 19K ReChats / 32K Likes / 42K Views

    ¡ª Burgh Fan Club (Verified) @burghfanclub ? 1h ago

    Our admin team is totally not crying right now¡­ Their friendship is so moving. Bug Specialists, unite! Everyone! Support Burgh¡¯s successor!

    Henry McGowan @henrymcgowan ? 21m ago

    Dunno where else to ask, but is the Castelia Gym hiring?

    19 Comments / 65 ReChats / 36 Likes / 161 Views

    ¡ª Kayden Fan Club (Verified) @kaydenfanclub ? 18m ago

    That¡¯s a great question! You¡¯ll have to give Kayden some time to settle in, haha. He literally just got sworn in!

    ¡ª Chelsea Ingram @chelseaingram ? 17m ago

    You¡¯re not the only interested one. I¡¯m guessing a lot of people have their eyes on the Castelia Gym right now¡­ I¡¯m one of them.

    ¡ª Annette Wei @annettewei ? 15m ago

    Ditto! Fingers crossed we hear news about job openings. I¡¯d love the chance to work there.

    <hr>

    TEXT MESSAGES

    [bug bros] (2 People) ¡ú May 28, 202X

    Guzma [11:39 PM]: now THAT¡¯S what i¡¯m fucking talking about. a FIRE match (you get it?). keep putting the fear of bugs in people and spread the word. gz on becoming a gym leader btw.

    Kayden [11:39 PM]: LOLOL! Thanks dude.

    Guzma [11:39 PM]: ur really moving up in the world, huh?

    Kayden [11:39 PM]: Ay, bro, you worried about me forgetting you and the folks back in Alola or something? Want me to shout out your food stand? I can even mention you in my speech if you want. Then everyone will know about my bro, the guy who taught me about Bugs!

    Guzma [11:40 PM]: hell no! u want me to die of embarrassment or something?

    Kayden [11:40 PM]: [Laughing Ribombee sticker]

    Guzma [11:40 PM]: i ain¡¯t good with sappy stuff, yeesh. anyway, u wanna see pics of some cutiefly i took in the other day? guaranteed to knock ur socks off from their cuteness.

    Kayden [11:40 PM]: Dude, don¡¯t even ask! Just send me it. I¡¯ll send you a video of some Wimpod I found in another country. One of them was born with four extra leg segments and different colored antennae.

    Guzma [11:40 PM]: YO, SEND ME THAT SHIT RN! i wanna see that!

    <hr>

    FORUMS

    Unova Forums

    The Unova Forums is a site where people can discuss news related to the Unova League Circuit and Vertress Conference. Come join fellow trainers attempting the Circuit(s) and battle enthusiasts!

    Home / Forums / Official News / Archives / Support

    Events ¡ú Trending

    Thread Topic: Burgh¡¯s successor finally chosen and officially appointed

    Georgia Winchra (Verified) / May 27th, 202X / 8:54 PM UST

    Tags: Castelia Gym, Kayden Sterling, Unova League Circuit, Burgh Arty, Bugs, Bug Type, Pokemon, Vertress Conference, Gym Challenge

    It sucked that the Castelia Gym closed up early this year before the League Circuit ended, but people still had plenty of other options for gyms to get their last badge or two from. Everyone was wondering who would take over. Hell, people were even placing bets on if the type specialization would change and screw over people¡¯s plans for next League Circuit season.

    Well, the Meowth¡¯s finally out of the bag. Kayden Sterling has been appointed as the next Castelia Gym Leader, and he¡¯s a Bug Specialist like Burgh. Discuss below what you think the Castelia Gym will be like going forward.

    View Replies (12k+) ¡ú

    Bobby Renner (Verified)

    I think the biggest question is if the gym challenge will stay the same or not? Burgh changed it up from the way his predecessor set up the gym task, so I¡¯m pretty sure Kayden might change it again during his reign, too. I just hope it¡¯s not a stupid quiz. That¡¯s so boring.

    Julian Pechter (Verified)

    I ain¡¯t fighting him for one of my last badges, that¡¯s for sure. From that match with that former Elite Four lady, I think it¡¯s pretty obvious already that he has a different fighting style than Burgh which might carry over to his gym battles.

    Yeah. Not dealing with zombie Bugs, thank you. Gonna get the Insect Badge early on than later.

    Emily Sura (Verified)

    Well, I don¡¯t think zombie Bugs are going to be an issue for gym battles even if you¡¯re challenging him for your seventh or eighth. You¡¯re not going to face anything THAT scary. Remember, he was using his personal team. Those are Champion-level creepy crawlies.

    Bobby Renner (Verified)

    LOL! Anyone who wants to fight his personal team is going to have a beatdown incoming then.

    Miles Everett (Verified)

    Do you think he¡¯ll hire any additional gym trainers for the Castelia Gym? I¡¯m interested in applying.

    Natalie Jones (Verified)

    Maybe! I guess you¡¯ll have to wait and see if any positions open up.

    <hr>

    THE CASTELIA TIMES

    BREAKING NEWS

    [Kayden Sterling becomes the next Gym Leader of Castelia City.]

    By Wolfe Williams / Published May 28th, 202X at 9:51 AM UST

    After a month-long wait full of back and forth decisions and countless calls to potential candidates, the Castelia Gym succession issue has finally been settled once and for all. Just minutes earlier, Kayden Sterling was officially sworn into office in the hallowed chambers of Union Peak. Though he is not the first Ability Holder to become a Unovan Gym Leader, he is still one of only two Ability Holders to hold such important positions in the Unova League to date, the other being co-Opelucid Gym Leader Iris Shaga.

    For readers unaware of the significance of Ability Holders, we are more than happy to provide a short explanation. Less than a decade ago, the political atmosphere in Unova was very different from how it is today. Ability Holders were not given nearly as many rights or opportunities. It was only after Champion Alder Adeku passed new laws to help protect Ability Holders that the times began to change in an unprecedented direction. There is a growing number of Ability Holders returning to Unova after receiving pardons, and some of them have joined the Unova League¡¯s law enforcement forces to help keep the peace in our country.

    Kayden Sterling was part of that wave of Ability Holders returning home after being exiled. He is now the Gym Leader of the world¡¯s largest melting pot and city, and only time will tell how he acclimates to his role. As fellow Unovans and Castelians, we wish him the best in his new career.

    Before we wrap up today¡¯s breaking news, we¡¯d like to make it known that special elections will be held soon. In the wake of several politicians resigning from their seats, new ones will need to be elected to take over those vacant spots and fill out the rest of their terms. Temporary officials like Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius, Annyra Huang, and Charmiet King who had been filling in until now will be running in those special elections. Find more information on your local city hall¡¯s website.

    As always, those of us at the Castelia Times will dedicate ourselves to bringing you the latest news in a timely manner. We appreciate your viewership and support!

    If you¡¯re interested in viewing the whole swearing-in ceremony, you can find the full video and transcript here.

    Comments (3,861) ¡ú

    Magikarp King ? 41 minutes ago

    I¡¯m one of those Ability Holders who¡¯ve returned home. I sympathize with Kayden¡¯s story. Please make sure you vote the right people into office from now on.

    ¡ª View Replies (58)

    ¡ª Call me maybe ? 40 minutes ago

    @Magikarp King Welcome back to Unova. I¡¯m sorry you and Kayden had to go through terrible experiences because of our government. You¡¯re absolutely right that we need to be more careful with choosing our representatives going forward.

    ¡ª Lechonky ? 40 minutes ago

    @Magikarp King Me too. Came back about two months ago and am still trying to wrap my head around how much Unova has changed¡­ Weird to see people protesting on behalf of Ability Holders these days.

    ¡ª Deerling, is that you? ? 40 minutes ago

    @Magikarp King I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m still a bit wary of Ability Holders. We¡¯ve had a lot of them flooding back into the country, but not all of them came back for good intentions. Some only came back to start trouble like robberies¡­

    ¡ª Magikarp King ? 39 minutes ago

    @Deerling, is that you? That¡¯s fine. Those people need to be held accountable. I just hope you won¡¯t think every single Ability Holder is like those criminals.

    ¡ª Lechonky ? 39 minutes ago

    @Deerling, is that you? I¡¯m trying to see the good in them. Try to read up on the representatives from your hometown running for parliament and make an informed decision. Personally, I¡¯ll be voting for Ghetsis to take office at Union Peak. He¡¯s actually done a really good job of improving quality of life around here for Accumula Town as one of our local representatives and has a good-natured personality. I think he¡¯ll do great in the Unovan parliament.

    <hr>

    BACK IN ALOLA ¡ª Sterling Family

    ¡°Kayden looks so handsome in that suit!¡± Kanani hummed out loud with a smile. She looked every bit an adoring mother as she fussed over her son¡¯s appearance on TV. ¡°I¡¯m sure a shopkeeper helped him pick it out. He never liked shopping, teehee.¡±

    The whole family had gathered to watch Kayden¡¯s swearing-in ceremony. Kalvin had gone ahead and invited his son¡¯s friend, Guzma, to watch with them, but the man already had prior engagements to watch the thing with his own hometown buddies. Guzma politely declined after dropping off some fresh fruits from his home orchard for them.

    So, a cozy family get-together it was. His wife had made a plate of butter mochi for them to snack on while they waited for Kayden¡¯s turn to talk, and by the Twin Dragons were they delicious.

    Kalvin willingly let his eating pace slow down so his son could have most of the treats. He was not oblivious to the fact that Kale was happily stuffing them into his mouth like some sort of Skwovet.

    After much impatience, Kayden finally got up to have his turn at the podium and make short remarks.

    His speech was beautiful. Kalvin felt his heart shake with every word. He knew his son spoke those words with the weight of all his experiences behind him.

    And when he spoke his last line¡ª

    ¡°I will pave a path to their bright futures¡ªthis I swear.¡±

    Kalvin¡¯s heart rattled in his chest.

    ¡°Oh honey, let me get you some tissues¡­¡±

    It was only when Kanani¡¯s half-amused, half-concerned voice drifted through the air that he realized tears slid down his cheeks.

    Kale stopped eating to stare at him with wide eyes.

    ¡°Dad, are you okay?¡± he asked in a small, cautious voice.

    Kalvin didn¡¯t answer right away. He thanked his wife first for the tissues she handed him and then dabbed at his eyes.

    ¡°I am,¡± he finally said with a smile, and he meant it. ¡°These are tears of joy, son.¡±

    He¡¯d always worried about Kayden.

    Even after Kayden became independent, even after his firstborn told him over and over again that he felt happy traveling the world¡­ Kalvin always worried.

    But he didn¡¯t have to worry anymore.

    Kayden had found something truly precious to him that he wanted to do.

    He had found a dream to work toward. He wasn¡¯t burdened by chains of the past.

    Kayden looked the happiest he¡¯d been in years.

    That, in turn, was the only thing Kalvin had ever wanted in his life¡ªfor his family to be happy. More tears leaked from his eyes before he could help it.

    As long as his son was happy, so was he.

    I¡¯ll always be on your side, son.

    <hr>

    WHAT THEY DID WHEN THEIR TRAINER WAS AWAY ¡ª Kayden Sterling¡¯s Pokemon

    GET OFF MY CHAIR! Centiskorch roared.

    He blitzed forward at incredible speed and proceeded to tussle with Scolipede, Beedrill, and Scizor. All of the Bugs coveted his brand new Centiskorch-themed reclining chair to the point where he himself hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to fully lay down on it yet! Ridiculous!

    You¡¯re supposed to share. Kayden always says that, Frosmoth said in a singsong voice from the opposite end of the room.

    But it¡¯s me! A miniature me! Centiskorch huffed right back in complaint. He grunted as Scizor elbowed him with a pincer. I haven¡¯t even gotten to try sitting on it yet!

    Armaldo eyed the flames sputtering to life around Centiskorch¡¯s body.

    Sorry to hear that but, uh, try to relax¡­ think happy thoughts. Don¡¯t burn the house down. Seriously. Don¡¯t burn the house down, he urged in a slow, calming voice.

    Honestly, can you all not be quiet for once?! I swear I shall encase all of you in honey if I miss anything Kayden says, Vespiquen screeched. Buzzing sounds seemed to multiply in the air as she fluttered her wings grumpily. It¡¯s almost time for Kayden¡¯s speech on the TV.

    Is anyone recording it? Is anyone recording it? Yanmega hollered excitedly from the top of the stairs. He was busy moving furniture up and down so Kayden didn¡¯t have to later.

    Don¡¯t have to, Araquanid responded with a grunt. She used one of her legs to scratch an itch on her abdomen. Human technology is crazy, you should know that already. Kayden¡¯s speech will be saved there on the, uh, Pokenet for us to see anytime we want after today.

    Oh, is that how it works? Heracross muttered with a tilt of his head.

    Flygon rolled his eyes. Years later, and he still doesn¡¯t understand how the Pokenet works¡ª whoa! Tune, Tula, you guys should be resting. Stop moving furniture!

    The dragon hurriedly stomped forward to stop said injured Bugs from nudging new stools and tables around.

    I get restless if I don¡¯t move around, Galvantula complained. And ya know, Kayden did tell us we could redecorate the house if we wanted.

    Yes, yes! It¡¯s boring doing nothing, and those Ditto cells make my skin itchy, Kricketune added with a melodramatic sigh.

    I don¡¯t think he meant you two doing the redecorating¡ª

    Anyone want snacks? Ribombee called out from the kitchen, interrupting Flygon.

    ME, ME, ME! Golisopod¡¯s hand shot into the air closely followed by Armaldo¡¯s.

    Then come help bring everything out.

    With loud, booming footsteps, Golisopod instantly dashed out of the living room. The impact of his movements caused a vase to slip off a table, one that Araquanid barely saved by spitting a bed of sticky webbing under it.

    OI! The spider yelled. WATCH IT! I PICKED OUT THIS VASE WITH KAYDEN ON THE COMPUTER!

    Oh. SORRY!

    From his spot on the biggest sofa in the living room, Rune shook his head with a fond sigh.

    He loved their family as much as Kayden did, but sometimes, the high-strung, chaotic energy the group had left an old grandpa like him wishing for some peace and quiet.

    Still, he wouldn¡¯t change anything for the world.

    Rune smiled as he watched Kayden begin his short speech on TV.

    As long as they were together, they could take on the world.

 Chapter 13

    CHAPTER 13

    The early luncheon that doubled as late breakfast was in full swing.

    Courtesy of the Unova League, there were free foods and drinks provided for everyone who attended the swearing-in ceremony or had labored since the crack of dawn to get things ready. Everyone had immediately migrated to the room down the hall to fill their stomachs. I couldn¡¯t blame them. I was pretty hungry myself after sitting through so much talking.

    Chefs and waiters employed by the Unova League stood at attention near long, rectangular tables covered with white tablecloths and chafing dishes full of warm food. They hadn¡¯t skimped out on the service. Whatever you were in the mood to eat, they had it to suit different palates and celebrate various cultures. Salads from a to z, paninis, tofu soup, quiches, teriyaki salmon, yeast rolls¡ªhell, there was even an option for grilled-to-order items delivered right to your table.

    I¡¯d entered the venue with Alder and the Unova Elite Four, but they somehow disappeared into thin air after I looked away. I found out the reason for their vanishing act a moment later.

    The traitors had anticipated countless Mandibuzz and Mightyena waiting for the chance to pounce and wisely ran away in advance so they could grab their food undisturbed.

    Reporters surged forward in a colossal wave from out of nowhere. They were barely held back by security guards waiting in the wings, but some of them still got close enough that I could make out individual voices over others.

    ¡°Leader Kayden, any comments on being the second Ability Holder to join after Iris Shaga¡ª¡±

    ¡°How do you feel about working with the Unova League after what was done to you years ago¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to live up to Burgh Arty¡¯s legacy and those of your predecessors?¡±

    Most of the questions were controversial in nature and designed to get a rise out of me. Thankfully, Burgh and Alder had already warned me ahead of time there might be reporters like this, so I wasn¡¯t taken aback.

    I was, however, unamused.

    I snubbed the majority of the reporters and only answered more respectable questions posed by individuals from institutions like the Castelia Times or Mistralton Post. Safe answers along the lines of ¡®I will work hard to live up to expectations¡¯ came out of my mouth like I¡¯d practiced in advance. They only got a minute of me entertaining their questions before I politely excused myself and hightailed it to the closest buffet table.

    Forget questions, I really wanted to eat right now.

    Unfortunately, the food queue wasn¡¯t safe, either. The politicians standing nearby accosted me as I went down the line adding food to my tray.

    ¡°So nice to meet our newest Gym Leader!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Jacky Hauser, a senator from Icirrus City¡ª¡±

    ¡°What do you think about adding new roads from Castelia to¡ª¡±

    My polite smile turned strained as I grabbed some potato salad with tongs. Look, I didn¡¯t mind humoring their attempts to butter up to me or playing nice, but there was a time and place for everything.

    This wasn¡¯t it.

    ¡°Gentlemen, gentlemen,¡± a deep voice interrupted as I imagined flipping everyone off with a middle finger. There was a sort of gravelly, raspy undertone to it, and it was a voice that commanded attention. Maybe the kind you¡¯d hear an audiobook narrator having? It was pleasant to listen to. ¡°I know we¡¯re all eager to talk to our country¡¯s newest cornerstone, but how about we enjoy a meal first, hmm? I¡¯m not sure about the rest of you, but I¡¯m quite famished after rising with the sun today.¡±

    That was enough to settle things. With quiet grumbles, men and women around me shuffled away to finish filling their own trays with food. Finally freed from my cumbersome posse, I grabbed some napkins for later and turned my head.

    The middle-aged man on my right smiled when we made eye contact. He had about two inches on me, give or take, and eyes brighter than rubies. His green hair had been styled in a rather interesting fashion. Three cowlicks¡ªthick strands?¡ªjutted from the sides of his head.

    ¡°Thanks. Thought they¡¯d run out of grilled chicken if I got held up any longer,¡± I joked with the mystery man. It was nice to see someone with decent manners around here.

    A chuckle left him as he filled a cup of water for himself. ¡°It was no problem, Leader Kayden. Might I suggest the spinach quiche? I heard talk of it on my way here. Apparently the chefs at Union Peak make the most divine quiches.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± I raised a brow. Never thought I¡¯d get caught up in a conversation like this, but there were stranger things to talk about. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Are you a new official?¡±

    ¡°An excellent guess. You¡¯d be half-correct,¡± the man smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius. I was elected to fill in for Charon Kanth¡¯s vacant seat. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be able to stay in parliament as a full term official after the special elections.¡±

    So, he was one of those temporary officials I¡¯d read about online. He certainly had an interesting name, one that I filed away in my mental archives due to its uniqueness. I nodded absentmindedly as I helped myself to a slice of this so-called divine food Ghetsis had recommended. As friendly as he seemed, I wasn¡¯t going to wish him good luck or anything. One, I knew nothing of this guy¡¯s political background given I¡¯d just met him, and two, carelessly throwing such favorable statements around was not a good look now that I was in a position of power. I had to be careful of what I said lest it come back to bite me in the ass someday.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°You as well. Ah, can you please pass me the tongs there? Thank you¡­¡±

    By the time I finally left the line, my tray was heaped full of food and a glass of iced tea inspired by similar drinks in Hoenn that I was interested in trying.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to find Burgh. He and the other Gym Leaders were already waiting for me at a banquet table in a nice, quiet corner of the room purposefully distanced further away from others. Alder and the Elite Four hogged a smaller table nearby.

    The moment I set my stuff down and slid into the empty seat next to Burgh, I was bombarded with a flurry of greetings.

    ¡°Congratulations!¡±

    ¡°Welcome to the team!¡±

    ¡°Were you nervous during the ceremony?¡±

    And so on and so forth. I couldn¡¯t tell who said what since they talked over each other, but Burgh helpfully remedied that for me by holding up a slender hand.

    ¡°It¡¯d probably help if you didn¡¯t talk all at once,¡± he suggested in a voice full of thinly veiled amusement. In between the subsequent whining and food being shoveled into mouths, Burgh leaned over and patted me on the shoulder. He looked the happiest I¡¯d ever seen him. ¡°Anyhow, let me be the first to properly convey my thoughts. Congratulations, Kayden!¡±

    I flashed a grin at him. ¡°Thanks. Wouldn¡¯t be here without your support, dude.¡±

    ¡°My, my¡­ isn¡¯t that absolutely endearing,¡± a melodious voice mused out loud. When I glanced over, a lady across the table smiled in our direction. She wore an expensive, glittery dress that came in the same shade of electric blue as her eyes. ¡°Or should I say electrifying? That your friendship shocked me so much? I¡¯m current-ly moved.¡±

    All notions of eating went out the window as people around the table collectively groaned. Frankly, I wanted to join in.

    Those jokes were cringeworthy.

    ¡°Must you bring puns to the lunch table?¡± a young man with wavy hair covering one side of his face muttered.

    ¡°Yeah! What he said!¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    The two guys sitting on either side of him chimed in. Their facial features looked remarkably similar to the point where it was obvious they were related.

    The one with red hair turned to me and waved his hands around. ¡°¡®Sup! Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you¡¯re gonna have to get used to Elesa¡¯s crappy puns. Name¡¯s Chili. These are my brothers Cilan and Cress¡ª¡± Both brothers temporarily set down their forks to wave at me. ¡°¡ªand we¡¯re the Striaton Gym Leaders. On our honor, I swear we¡¯ll never subject you to torture like she does.¡±

    I raised a brow. ¡°¡®Sup. Nice to meet you guys. Do the puns get that bad?¡±

    Cilan answered for his siblings with an expression of sheer horror. ¡°Quite so, I¡¯m afraid. I pray for your ears already.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± I whistled out loud.

    The Campbell triplets, a notable trio of Elemental Specialists. I knew of them already from surfing the Pokenet and catching up on Unovan news. They were barely twenty-one years old but famous nationwide for their fantastic skills as chefs and connoisseurs. The Striaton Gym they ran doubled as a popular restaurant, one that was usually booked out months in advance. I heard they regularly participated in homeless outreach programs and kitchens both in their hometown and across the whole nation.

    ¡°Darlings, you do realize I¡¯m sitting right here, yes?¡± Elesa said with a roll of her eyes. Somehow, she made it look elegant. ¡°As I repeat every year, my puns aren¡¯t that bad! You simply don¡¯t know how to appreciate them.¡± With a smile, the woman turned to me and gave a dainty wave of her hand. I caught sight of bright blue nail polish before it disappeared below the table. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, neighbor. I¡¯m Elesa.¡±

    Elesa Harper. She was the same age as me and an Electric Specialist who was in charge of the Nimbasa Gym. She was the current face of Unova fashion and an internationally renowned supermodel. I¡¯d technically already met her before¡­ kind of. I¡¯d seen her face pop up frequently on billboards, TV ads, and magazines across Castelia ever since I came back.

    Very famous. Now, I could add to my mental archives that she was fond of making terrible puns. We¡¯d probably be communicating frequently with each other going forward considering how close our cities were.

    One of Unova¡¯s so-called seven Pokenet mysteries was Elesa¡¯s natural hair color. Nobody knew. She liked dyeing her hair different colors, but she typically went for blonde or black depending on her mood.

    Today, it was blonde.

    ¡°Berry nice to meet you,¡± I echoed her sentiment with a deadpan expression.

    All activity at our massive banquet table stuttered to an abrupt halt again. It took a solid five seconds of silence before people registered what I said and pointed forks or spoons at me with disbelieving expressions.

    ¡°NO!¡± Chili nearly shrieked, grabbing his fiery hair with both hands. ¡°Please don¡¯t go over to the dark side, Kayden! I thought you were a cool dude!¡±

    Even Burgh looked a bit aghast. The sides of his lips twitched as if holding back laughter, though.

    Elesa, meanwhile, laughed so hard that she had to cover her mouth with a hand or risk looking undignified.

    ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯ll admit I didn¡¯t see that coming! I didn¡¯t expect you to fire back with a pun of your own!¡± she choked out.

    ¡°Well, someone has to give you a taste of your own medicine,¡± I shot back with a smirk.

    A gasp rang out in the wake of my playful jab.

    ¡°He said the thing! He said the thing!¡± a teenage girl excitedly yelped. She possessed extraordinarily puffy hair big enough to house a few Pokemon in there, and she tugged excitedly on the sleeve of the old man sitting next to her. ¡°Gramps, are they gonna battle now?¡±

    Elesa and I both stared at her.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I trailed off. ¡°Do I get any context for this?¡±

    The old man sitting next to the girl coughed into his gloved fist. For such an elderly person, he was a giant and very physically fit. It was apparent even without standing up. The buttons on his dress jacket looked like they were fighting for dear life.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± the old man began with a look of embarrassment. ¡°My granddaughter has been obsessed with a new show on television lately where the main character beats gangsters up to, and I quote, ¡®give them a taste of their own medicine.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    A round of quiet ahs went around the table in light of this revelation.

    That only made the old man even more embarrassed. He sighed heavily. ¡°Forgive me for the late introduction, but I¡¯m Drayden¡ª¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m Iris!¡± his granddaughter piped up. She sat straighter in her seat and posed with fists on her hips, eyes sparkling with an emotion that immediately had me tensing in my seat. That was the look of someone who wanted to¡ª

    ¡°Let¡¯s fight sometime, you and me! How about it?¡± she asked in a bright, excited voice. ¡°I saw your match with Sierra. I already liked Bugs, but you made me like them so much more! A battle with you would be so much fun!¡±

    She wore a ferocious grin that lived up to her reputation as a Dragon Specialist.

    Drayden and Iris Shaga, the co-Gym Leaders of Opelucid City. I already knew a bit of Iris with every mention of her that had popped up in passing conversations before, but she seemed like an energetic girl with a passion for battling. Her adoptive grandfather was the oldest among all current Unova Gym Leaders as well as the one who¡¯d been in office the longest. He¡¯d lived through the reigns of three different Unovan champions and always maintained a politically neutral stance until Alder came along and won him over. Drayden was a living legend. In his youth, he¡¯d quelled conflicts both within Unova and along the western border we shared with Orre. He and his granddaughter ran a Dragon sanctuary in their city and cared for abandoned Pokemon.

    Anyway, a match with the girl who was said to have defeated one of the Elite Four on her first try? She was probably stronger by now.

    The grin that stretched across my face matched hers in intensity.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°One of these days for sure,¡± I promised, and I had to resist the urge to crack my knuckles. ¡°You might regret challenging Bugs.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow, I guess we have another battle maniac among us¡­¡± someone whispered, but I didn¡¯t see who it was.

    Iris was so happy that she squealed and fidgeted in her seat.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes! I can¡¯t wait! You know, I was really excited to meet you. Gramps said Alder evaluated your Ability to be really high. And I like that I¡¯m not the only Gym Leader who¡¯s an Ability Holder anymore! We can tell the old geezers in the government to screw off together! Oh, what¡¯s your Ability by the way? When did you realize you had one?¡±

    Holy crap, Iris was really chatty when she wanted to be. She kept rambling without end before I could get a word in.

    Instead of it being annoying, though, I actually found it endearing. It was because she reminded me of my ten-year-old brother. They were both little balls of energy and sunshine.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot more to it, but I can communicate with Bug type Pokemon or related species,¡± I managed to get out in between all of Iris¡¯s chatter.

    She squealed again and clapped her hands together.

    ¡°That¡¯s. So. Cool!¡± she breathed. ¡°You¡¯re like me then!¡±

    Someone else thought the same if a low, admiring whistle was anything to go by. ¡°That sounds like a mighty useful Ability to have. Heaven knows I wish I could talk to Normal types.¡±

    I turned to see who had spoken. It was a woman with dark skin and beautiful, voluminous teal hair and eyes. She sat on the other side of Burgh, so she was close enough that she could stick a hand out to me.

    ¡°Lenora Davis,¡± she introduced herself after we shook hands. It was accompanied by a smile full of pearly whites. ¡°I suppose we¡¯re sort of neighbors, too, if you squint real hard at a map. Ha!¡±

    Lenora Davis, the Nacrene Gym Leader and esteemed Normal Specialist. She was also a bigshot in the archaeologist community and the director of the Nacrene Museum. Her most impressive accomplishments to date included finding a large number of Cover and Plume Fossils that they¡¯d managed to revive into living specimens¡ªonly after draining an astronomical amount of funds from the government, of course.

    ¡°We¡¯re technically neighbors, yeah. Just, uh, gotta cross a small bridge and forest first, right?¡± I smiled wryly at her.

    Lenora threw her whole head back with laughter. ¡°Yep, yep. Sounds about right. Oh, we should probably introduce you to our other newbies.¡±

    I already knew from research, but I asked anyway for the sake of conversation and in-person introductions.

    ¡°And those would be¡­?¡±

    ¡°Roxie and Marlon,¡± Elesa answered on Lenora¡¯s behalf. ¡°That girl sitting there and that man to your left.¡±

    The figures she pointed out both looked very uncomfortable, and I could guess why because I¡¯d seen Alder behaving the same way before the ceremony began.

    The girl with freckles and spiky white hair looked like she¡¯d been forced into a cute purple dress against her will, and the man with skin tanned by his time under the sun tugged repeatedly at his shirt collar like he needed to breathe.

    Yep, both of them really didn¡¯t like their current outfits.

    I stared at them sympathetically. ¡°Formal clothing sucks, doesn¡¯t it¡­¡±

    They stared back at me with obvious surprise before their expressions mirrored mine. We looked at each other with the most pitiful, sorry gazes in the world like we were the only ones who existed. Kindred spirits recognized each other when they saw them.

    Just like that, a camaraderie was formed based on shared dislike for dress codes.

    ¡°Roxie,¡± the girl greeted. She nodded glumly, but it was only after making a spitting motion off to the side. ¡°Fuck, I hate wearing this stupid dress. I¡¯m shoving it into the closet later where light won¡¯t ever reach.¡±

    ¡°Good idea,¡± I encouraged her with a serious nod. Who was I to stop her?

    She seemed pleased with my reaction. ¡°You got a favorite band?¡±

    ¡°I like most genres,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Two of my Bugs are musicians. I¡¯m partial to rock, though, especially the good stuff that came out twenty years ago. Those are classics. Hard to pick a favorite, but Thunder Klang¡¯s a contender.¡±

    Roxie stared at me like I¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s wicked. I finally met someone with decent taste in music. Yo, come over to Virbank sometime. Our concerts are to die for.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Do I get front row tickets?¡±

    ¡°You know what? Since you were gutsy enough to ask, sure.¡±

    Roxie Hawkins, a Poison Specialist and the new Gym Leader for Virbank City. She was tied with Iris for our youngest Gym Leaders at the moment, and she was taking over for her father. Rumors on the Pokenet suggested there was some sort of family spat that led to the handover, but that wasn¡¯t my place to ask. Roxie was a famous musician and rising rock star in Unova. Like she¡¯d mentioned already, Virbank hosted a lot of concerts.

    She seemed like a nice kid. As for the other guy¡ª

    ¡°¡®Sup, dude!¡± he greeted in a cheerful voice. ¡°I¡¯m Marlon. I¡¯m a new Gym Leader like you.¡±

    Marlon Hart, a Water Specialist hailing from Humilau City who was one year older than me. He might have been a new Gym Leader who got sworn in a few months ago, but he was well-known. Marlon was a very active swimmer, diver, fisherman¡ªanything aquatic, he did it. He lived and breathed with the sea. Over in Humilau, he taught swimming and surfing classes. He had not inherited the Gym from a family relative or master but was scouted for the position. None of the gym trainers had been good enough to take over after the previous Gym Leader passed away from old age.

    Tugging at his collar again, Marlon leaned in with eyes that furtively darted left and right. ¡°Do you, uh, think it¡¯s okay if I loosen my collar now? I¡¯m not really familiar with settings like these¡­¡±

    Roxie and I both stared at him like he was an idiot.

    ¡°No one¡¯s going to kill you,¡± Roxie huffed.

    ¡°Yeah, so just go ahead and save yourself,¡± I finished. I even tapped my own collar. ¡°See? Even I loosened mine already.¡±

    ¡°Thank the Dragons.¡± Marlon quickly undid his collar and melted with relief. ¡°Okay, much better. Neat tattoo by the way. You¡¯re kind of making me want to get one.¡±

    ¡°Huh? A tattoo?¡± Iris chimed in, craning her neck left and right to see. ¡°Where? I didn¡¯t see it!¡±

    ¡°Relax, you¡¯re gonna spill your soup,¡± I gently scolded, automatically flipping on older brother mode by instinct. I twisted my head so she could see better. ¡°Here. Side of my neck.¡±

    A few others at the table leaned in to take a better look.

    ¡°Ooh¡­ That¡¯s pretty rad.¡±

    ¡°Nice design.¡±

    ¡°Sick!¡±

    ¡°Would you like to know who else here has a tattoo?¡± Lenora asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

    A short, stout man sitting on the other end of the table scowled.

    ¡°Yer not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Clay!¡± Lenora answered in a singsong voice over any potential protest. ¡°He just outed himself, but that¡¯s him over there. Be a dear and help our newbie feel more at home, hmm?¡±

    ¡°Hrmph! Just this once,¡± the man grumbled. Everyone¡ªme included¡ªwatched as he rolled back one of his sleeves and showed us the side of his left arm. An arrow tattoo ran down the length of it.

    He caught me staring and used his other hand to tip his wide-brimmed hat back in greeting. I hadn¡¯t seen him wearing it during the ceremony, but he¡¯d brought his iconic hat along for the ride apparently.

    ¡°Went through some rough patches when I was a young¡¯un,¡± he explained with a wince. ¡°Got this here done so I remember to always move forward, ya see. Anyway, so yer our newest recruit, huh? I¡¯m Clay.¡±

    Clay Wilson¡¯s accent was so thick that the heavy southern drawl would have instantly clued anyone into which part of Unova he hailed from. The Driftveil Gym Leader was one of the wealthiest men in the country and a keen businessman who¡¯d mined in his youth. He was one of the most well-known figures in the mining industry and the president of several different companies and businesses. Above anything else, Clay was famous for his honest personality¡ªsometimes a little too honest¡ªand hardworking attitude.

    I kept staring at his arm even after Clay rolled his sleeve back down. ¡°It¡¯s a meaningful tattoo,¡± I finally complimented. After all, I¡¯d gotten my own done for pretty much the same reason. ¡°Mine has a similar meaning.¡±

    Clay arched a thick brow. ¡°That so? Interestin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Perhaps I¡¯ll design a tattoo of my own someday¡­¡± I heard Burgh mutter next to me. Before I could comment on it, he spoke up in a louder voice and gestured to the two people I hadn¡¯t met yet. ¡°Ah, Kayden, these are the last of the Unova Gym Leaders. You might recognize Brycen.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± I grinned, returning the nod that a man across the table gave me. Whoa, it felt a bit unreal seeing him in person. Six-year-old Kayden probably would have freaked out. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°The honor is mine, young man. Let¡¯s work hard for the prosperity of Unova,¡± he smiled. He was definitely older now but still very recognizable.

    Brycen Katou in the flesh. He was an Ice Specialist and Leader of the Icirrus Gym, but he had lots of fans outside of his gym leader career. Once upon a time, Brycen used to be a beloved action movie star. Any famous action movie you could think of, chances were Brycen had starred in it. He had trained in martial arts from a young age, so he was naturally very skilled and did all his stunts himself. His fame once soared to international heights.

    After an unfortunate accident on set that left him with an injury, Brycen ultimately retired. The story went that Alder personally scouted him for the Icirrus Gym and pulled him out of his slump.

    I¡¯d only gone to see the movies twice as a kid with dad because tickets were luxuries we couldn¡¯t exactly afford, but those were some of my fondest memories. Legend of the Blizzard and One Thousand Kicks were my favorite Brycen Katou movies.

    I wondered if he¡¯d mind later if I asked for an autograph¡ªfor dad, not me.

    Ahem.

    The very last Gym Leader I hadn¡¯t talked to yet waved at me.

    ¡°Heya! I¡¯m Skyla. It¡¯s so nice to finally see what you look like,¡± she chirped in a bright, bubbly voice. Her wave shifted into a cheerful salute.

    Skyla Summers, a twenty-three-year-old Flying Specialist who led the Mistralton Gym. She was up there on the list as one of the most popular Unova Gym Leaders. Everyone loved her fun personality. When she wasn¡¯t busy at the gym, Skyla flew planes.

    Yes, she was a certified cargo pilot. That was far more impressive than being an airline pilot because it required double the hours of in-flight training. Trainers used Flying types or other transport Pokemon to travel, but ships and airplanes were how civilians and cargo moved around the world. Since we shared this world with the creatures called Pokemon, they obviously had to be negotiated with or subdued to prevent danger to human settlements. Skyla¡¯s job as our leading Flying Specialist was to make sure Unova¡¯s airspace was safe. It was probably a time-consuming and stressful job, so it was a wonder she seemed so peppy.

    More importantly¡ª

    ¡°¡®What I look like?¡¯¡± I echoed her words with some degree of confusion. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    From down the table, Elesa¡¯s lips curled into a mischievous grin as she cupped her chin with a palm. ¡°There¡¯s a funny story behind that, dear¡ª¡±

    ¡°WAIT, WAIT! Hold the phone, let me answer for myself¡ª¡± Skyla yelped out of panic.

    ¡°Skyla¡¯s Dragonite was the one who delivered letters to you every year!¡± Iris blurted out like a kid who couldn¡¯t wait to blab a secret.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Skyla sighed as she buried her face in her hands.

    I was too parsing through memories.

    ¡°Oh, that Dragonite?¡± I eventually snapped my fingers with a look of realization. ¡°Yep, no way I wouldn¡¯t forget my dear mail carrier. Really liked getting a letter every year even after I explicitly said I didn¡¯t want them anymore.¡±

    Skyla didn¡¯t lift her hands from her face, so out came a muffled response. ¡°Yeah, about that¡­ sorry! Dragonite relayed your responses to me every year, but uh, I couldn¡¯t exactly go against what our League and government wanted¡­¡±

    ¡°No sweat,¡± I drawled, shrugging good-naturedly. ¡°Totally get it. I was just messing with you. I¡¯m not actually mad. If anything, I guess I should be thanking you and your Dragonite for bringing me mail every year? Those letters brought me back home after all.¡±

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re not mad?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Skyla peeked in between her fingers to check my face. Satisfied with my amused expression, she finally raised her head again.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± she cleared her throat, grinning. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re not starting off on the wrong foot then! Huzzah!¡±

    Skyla was funny. I raised my fists and shook them playfully. ¡°Huzzah.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. Aww, you kids are adorable,¡± Lenora giggled.

    Skyla gaped at her. ¡°¡®Kid?¡¯ Lenora, I¡¯m twenty-three!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still a kid in my eyes, sweetheart.¡±

    Even the more dignified out of the bunch like Brycen or Drayden seemed amused.

    A scraping sound filled the air from a chair being pushed back. Everyone looked up curiously as Elesa rose to her feet with a glass full of sparkling water.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, kids and not kids¡­¡± Elesa began. The humorous intro earned her a round of chuckles. ¡°I do believe a toast is in order for our newest comrade-in-arms! Please rise before I decide to gift you all with another pun.¡±

    Nobody needed to be told twice.

    People everywhere hurriedly got to their feet with respective drinks in hand. I rose more leisurely than the others because I found the whole thing so amusing.

    Plus, if she wanted to go to war, then I would go down fighting. Fight fire with fire or puns with puns as it was so often said.

    Elesa smiled charmingly as she raised her drink higher in the air.

    ¡°To Kayden Sterling. May your future be bright!¡± she declared.

    ¡°To Kayden Sterling!¡±

    Over a dozen voices overlapped with each other in harmony. The table was far too large for everyone to clink glasses all together, so we had to settle for clinking drinks with our closest neighbors instead.

    When I finally sat back down, it was with a fuzzy, pleasant feeling in my chest.

    I felt like I belonged here with the Unova Gym Leaders already. I appreciated the warm welcome more than they would ever know.

    ¡°Alright! Now let¡¯s eat with gusto!¡± Chili cackled while rubbing his hands together.

    It turned out the food was pretty damn good. Endless laughter and chatter filled the air in between all the eating.

    ¡°Work hard,¡± Clay warned me at some point, grinning. ¡°This is gonna be yer last summer o¡¯ bliss before young¡¯uns come crawlin¡¯ for glory.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not exaggerating, unfortunately,¡± Cress sighed. He dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin. ¡°League Circuit season is always chaotic¡­ especially the first and last months.¡±

    Burgh nodded sagely. ¡°They¡¯re right, but don¡¯t worry too much, Kayden. I know you¡¯ll be able to handle it.¡±

    ¡°Why talk about work at a social function? We¡¯re here to have fun before we return to our gyms,¡± Elesa complained.

    Her protest was backed up by Skyla. ¡°She¡¯s right, you know! Let¡¯s enjoy lunch. It¡¯s not often we can all get together like this. Kayden, did you get any of the bread rolls? They¡¯re really tasty.¡±

    In the blink of an eye, conversation suddenly shifted to the food on our plates.

    ¡°I recommend the sausage balls¡ª¡±

    ¡°Their artisan sandwiches aren¡¯t too bad!¡±

    ¡°Huh, Kayden, how did you know about the spinach quiches already?! Those are like the best things to ever exist around here¡­¡±

    I was already halfway there to demolishing my quiche and thinking about running back for seconds if any remained. Ghetsis hadn¡¯t lied to me.

    This spinach quiche was actually pretty fucking good.

    ¡°Some guy in line told me about them,¡± I remarked, mentally thanking Ghetsis in my head.

    Marlon whistled out loud. ¡°They know what¡¯s up.¡±

    A few seats down, Drayden looked at his granddaughter. ¡°You see, Iris? Look at Kayden¡¯s tray. He didn¡¯t forget to add salads or even that spinach quiche. You should follow his example and eat more vegetables, young lady.¡±

    Iris¡¯s face twisted itself into a look of utter disgust.

    ¡°Nooo¡­ Gramps, vegetables taste awful! How can you guys like eating that spinach quiche?!¡±

    Roxie pointed a gleaming fork at her.

    ¡°Listen up. Disrespect the spinach quiche one more time, and we¡¯re gonna have problems,¡± she threatened.

    For such a short, tiny girl, the warning still had a lot of bite to it.

    I was more shocked that the teenager was a big fan of the quiche. Didn¡¯t take her for the type.

    ¡°Did someone mention the spinach quiche?!¡± Alder hollered from the next table over. ¡°There¡¯s only a few slices left just so you¡¯re all aware.¡±

    Needless to say, every Gym Leader and Elite Four member made a dignified speed walk back to the buffet. Any faster, and we probably would have made the news.

    Spinach Quiche Enthralls Unova¡¯s Strongest Trainers!

    Something like that.

    The luncheon was fun all things considered. We had to wrap things up around one o¡¯clock. The other Gym Leaders had barely managed to squeeze time out of their schedules to come here today and show their support. With only a few days left in the current Unova League Circuit, trainers desperate to get one more badge flooded gyms nationwide with last-minute appointments. Gracious as they were, every Gym Leader had willingly given up their precious weekends to give final chances to as many people as possible.

    Before we parted ways, everyone took a photo together courtesy of a nearby waiter. Elesa snapped a few more selfies with her own phone and added me to a group chat with all the Gym Leaders.

    I smiled down at the pictures already being sent and shared in the chat.

    ¡°See you around, Kayden!¡±

    ¡°Bye! It was nice to meet you!¡±

    After all the goodbyes, it was back home for me. My Bugs dogpiled me as soon as I entered the house. The main entrance had never felt so cramped before with arms and legs jostling every part of my body. A torrent of congratulatory remarks came my way in the form of ear splitting screeches and buzzes.

    I did my best to pat carapaces and velvety wings even though I couldn¡¯t see who I was looking at.

    ¡°Thanks, guys. Hope you weren¡¯t too bored at home.¡±

    They weren¡¯t. As I could tell after finally being allowed up, the living room looked nothing like it had when I stepped out. They¡¯d redecorated everything.

    My Bugs also didn¡¯t let me forget my promise to order them custom furniture as I went upstairs to change, but that had to come later.

    I threw on a baggy T-shirt, tucked part of it into my shorts in what passed as a stylish look, and then returned everyone to their Pokeballs for a much anticipated trip. Burgh was already waiting for me in the front yard. He¡¯d gone back to his house and changed into casual wear of his own.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Burgh asked, lips quirking into a smile.

    I grinned. ¡°Hell yeah. Been waiting forever for this.¡±

    After many twists and turns, it was finally time to get a tour of my new workplace.

    The Castelia Gym awaited me.