Like No One Ever Was (Pokemon SI)

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons

Thank you so much for the support of my 31 Beginner Tier Patreons and an extra special thanks to Ace Tier supporters, RageLord and Nodal_Gravity!

Blearily, I opened my eyes, feeling like hell. Ugh, what happened- oh, yeah. That. The memories of my clash with the Paradox Pokemon hit me like the loss of Aura. Which was currently making me feel incredibly sluggish and weak.

"She's awake!" A female voice called out, and straining my body to turn, I saw Buffy's face above me. After a second, I realized that was because she was carrying me, easily hefting me in her buff arms. Oh wow.

"You don't have to wake the rest of us up then," Zedd faux-complained. Despite his words, I heard how quickly he shuffled over and saw the worry in his tired face as I wrenched my head over that way.

"Sorry for worrying you. Is the Iron Moth-"

"Bzzt, they are still safely secured. The Rangers have attached a restraining device to the Pokeball to ensure it doesn't try to break out for the time being." Miles floated up and helpfully addressed me. Glancing down at my belt, I saw all my Pokeballs all sitting there, with the newest one with a small circular device attached to the back of it. Four thin wire chains stretched out from it to the center button.

"Iron Moth, cute name," Buffy said cheerfully, and I shook off a small blush.

"Ah, not my choice, blame Heath." That brought them to a stop. Or perhaps it's the fact that we've reached a hospital. The building loomed overhead, and I attempted to extricate myself from Buffy's grip.

"I'm fine, guys, just tired." Trying to stand took a bit more effort than I thought; however, my legs wobbled and had me leaning against Buffy for support the moment I touched down. Sighing, I resigned myself as she picked me up again.

"Guess that 'woosh' took a lot out of you, huh?" Zedd commented. "And who's Heath?"

"Professor Heath? The guy who wrote the Violet Book. Oh, you haven't read it, have you?" It is considered a rather obscure book.

"Ohh, I thought that 'Iron Moth' looked like a UFO I read about in a magazine," Buffy cheerfully provided, scooping me back up again. They walked into the building proper, a quick flash of their badges at the front desk getting me checked into the hospital rapidly.

It turned out I wasn't just dealing with tiredness but also had several tiny shards of glass embedded in me. Thankfully none of them deep and some careful application of the doctor's Grumpig Psychic powers highlighted all of the shards still stuck in me and let him carefully pull each one out.

The Rangers got looked at as well, and they actually seemed worse off than I was, with a few burns they'd been covering up and some toxins in their system. Nothing serious, and they'd already administered some first aid like Antidotes to themselves, but the doctors warned them to take it easy.

I only barely overheard that from the other room, lying down in a hospital bed, still too tired to really get up and move. Everything feels so muffled, like I'm blind and deaf. I hadn't realized how much I relied on Aura every day, and now drained, I was forcing myself to not use any and hopefully speed up my recovery.

Left alone with my thoughts, I took the time to gather myself mentally, or at least attempt to. This is bad. Or at least, I think it is? How long in the game canon was Iron Treads active? Probably a while… but I don't think six years. Though that's based on nothing - given how remote the desert is, I suppose it's entirely possible that a Paradox Pokemon could escape and hang out there for six years. Of course, further questions would be raised about why only that one escaped… argh.

"Miles, could you send a message to my parents letting them know what happened? Uh, sanitized, of course." They looked at me from where they floated by my side, plasmic eyes scrunched together in thought. "Just mention that I assisted some Rangers in subduing a wild Pokemon and got a few cuts but am otherwise fine."

I won't hide such events from them any more, but I don't need to get into the details and worry them further about 'what could have been' with things like mentioning how much the Rangers got hurt. That kind of stuff doesn't matter. Even as I thought that, my eyes drifted down to the locked Pokeball on my bedside table.

"I'm going to need some help handling that one," I said more to myself than Miles. Paradox Pokemon are really cool, but this was a clear sign of the dangers they represent. And of how I need to step up my plan. I thought… I thought I had more time.

Groaning, I said without thinking, "I'm going to have to talk to the Professor about this." I hadn't expected a response, but one came anyway from Buffy as she opened the door to my room, Zedd slinking in behind her.

"Heath?"

"Gah! No, Heath is long dead. I meant Turo. Who did you think I meant?" I caught myself as soon as the words left my mouth. "Actually though, Friede would probably be a great person to call too. He's started that video series… In Hoenn last I checked, but maybe he could swing by…"

"Well, looks like you've got that all sorted out then," Zedd declared, earning him a frown from Buffy. "Alright, alright, guess we have a few more things to discuss."

The buff girl pulled out the chair beside my bed to sit closer to my level. "You did a really brave thing out there, fighting that Pokemon and saving us," she said in a soft voice. "I know you care a lot, but you don't have to train that Pokemon if you don't want to. We can take them in and make sure they have a proper place to live in, comfortable without hurting anyone else."

A small part of me was tempted to agree - I was on a (nebulous) time crunch, and this would eat into it further. On the other hand, as much as she might really want what she said to be true, I don't think it is. If Area Zero couldn't contain this Paradox Pokemon, where in the world could?

Slowly, I shook my head. "No, thank you. I'm going to give this a try. See if I can get to know them and make a bond. If things don't work out or they don't want to travel with me, I'll give you a call." With a weak gesture from me, Miles exchanged my number with her Rotom Phone.

"I'm surprised you didn't just demand to take Iron Moth away from me for safety or whatever." Zedd snorted at my words.

"'Safety or whatever,' yeah, definitely sounds like the job some days." Then he leveled a serious stare at me as he slumped into a chair in the corner. "That's a very complicated issue. Words can't describe how little Trainers like Pokemon they've caught being taken away from them. Especially rare ones like your Iron Moth, was it?"

Buffy continued. "Nemona, you seem to have a good head on shoulders-"

"And a powerful team at your side with at least two Pokemon Professors on speed dial," Zedd interjected.

She carried on as if he hadn't said anything. "So we're going to trust you with the care of this potentially dangerous Pokemon. Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you need help or are looking for advice, but for now, yes, we're trusting you."

"If you need a more immediate hand, you can ask any of the Nurse Joys around. I hear that one of the ones stationed on the northern edge of town is pretty keen on helping Pokemon like that."

I thanked them for the advice before they left, then sent out a quick message to Friede, trusting he'd respond quickly. For Turo, I left a message and called, though my call went straight to his mailbox.

"Turo. I caught an Iron Moth out in the Asado Desert. We need to talk. Soon." Ending the message, I sighed. Hopefully that gets his attentio- Miles rang immediately.

"Nemona," The man said stiffly. He was standing in one of his bunker labs down in Area Zero, though I couldn't tell which one, the Rotom Phone positioned such that Turo's torso took up most of the screen. "I just received your message."

"Yes, I- uhn," I groaned as I tried to prop myself up slightly. Still very tired and hurt. Instead of moving further, I directed Miles to show Turo the locked Pokeball. "I can't release them at the moment, but they were causing problems in the Asado Desert after they escaped from Area Zero."

He frowned but said nothing more. I want to tear into him right here and now for everything he's doing. But I don't have the right words, or leverage, yet. I'm off-balance and way too tired for this. "I'm sorry, I'm still rather tired from the whole ordeal, but I'll need to talk to you about this more later. For now, could you authorize me to carry them with me, beyond the usual limit? I need to get them acclimated to life here."

My wording was deliberately vague. With my Miraidon slip-up those months ago, I was certain he suspected I knew something, and this would only deepen those. Hopefully that will give me some more credibility when I directly address this later.

For the moment, Turo agreed. "I can do that. Now if you'll excuse me, there's much work to be done here." He hung up before I could say anything else. I can only hope that the 'work' he's talking about isn't more to be done on the Paradox Machine.

***

Waking up after a long rest, I found that I was in Alfornada, a fact that both made me happy and vexed me. Happy because I'd get the chance to see Dendra and Tulip (and apologize to them for my behavior before) but vexed because of a sneaking suspicion that was confirmed when I got out the next day and saw the same Nurse Joy I had argued with before.

She startled at my approach, jolting as she saw me before frowning and drawing her arms in behind the counter defensively. "Hello, is there something I can do for you?"

Her tone was clipped, but I gave her points for being professional and calm with me despite our previous interaction. "Yes, actually. Ranger Captain Zedd directed me here for… some advice."

His name was clearly familiar to her. "Yes, I know, cousin- I mean, Captain Zedd." Huh, they don't really look alike. Then again, even the 'predominant Joy clan genes' are a bit overexaggerated, and he could easily be a cousin on the other side of her family. It hardly mattered for the issue right now.

"What do you need help with?" She asked with slight trepidation. Didn't think I made that big an impact on her last time, but I'll take it if it means she's not going to be making accusations or the like.

Taking a deep breath, I began. "Under the guidance of Ranger Captain Zedd and Ranger Captain Buffy, I caught a previously unknown Pokemon- err, barely discovered Pokemon," I corrected, both for accuracy's sake and because of the kind of Pokemon called 'Unown.' "They are quite aggressive, and I was looking for tips on how to better understand them and create a peaceful relationship with them."

The lady looked gobsmacked. "You? Out of everyone, you're asking for help in reining in a dangerous Pokemon?"

"Everyone else on my team became my friend before I ever caught them!" I pouted, stomping my foot for a second before wincing. "Look, I just want some help in making sure they fit in well and there aren't any problems." I didn't add on the 'isn't that what you want/what you're here for?' In a show of restraint.

Given what she quickly fired back, I didn't feel like it was unheard or appreciated. "You should release them back in their natural environment if you feel incapable of training them."

"I'm not saying that. And even if I did, the Rangers wouldn't have anywhere good to put them! Where are they supposed to drop a Pokemon that even Area Zero can't contain?"

My words caused her to pause and take a step back. With a deep breath, the nurse centered herself and swung open a latch behind the counter. "I can see that this will take more consideration than I realized. Would you like to follow me so we can discuss the matter privately?" She pulled up the hatch to the underground bunker beneath the Pokemon Center. I forgot they had these things.

Nodding, I followed her down. The shaft was narrow, with the space underneath feeling rather cramped even when it opened up. My childlike size helped a bit with that, but I saw with how the Nurse Joy had to squeeze around the one desk to shake the other nurse awake in one of the bunk beds nearby that it wasn't designed for long-term habitation. The walls and most of the features were gray steel, with two dim lights illuminating the space.

"C'mon, I need you to cover for me up there for a bit," the first nurse said to the one still trying to sleep. "You can have my break later," she added when the former grumbled.

Sleepily, the other nurse rolled out of bed with a yawn, picking up her pink wig and shimmying out of the room. The first one sat at the small desk, turning to face me as I sat down in one of the beds, careful not to clip my head on the bed above. "So, you got a name beyond Nurse Joy? Feels weird to think of you just like that."

She sighed but said, "My first name is Amelia. Now, do you have any plans for how to acclimatize your Pokemon? And what kind of Pokemon are they? You've been evasive about that."

It was my turn to frown. Oh yeah, love coming for advice just for her to tell me everything wrong I'll do. But hopefully she'll actually give me something actionable too. "The Pokemon is, near as I can tell, an Iron Moth." At the blank look on her face, I placed the locked Pokeball on the desk and smugly added, "They're a Pokemon that was seen once by a Professor two hundred years ago."

Amelia sputtered, shooting back in her chair as if afraid to be near the Pokeball, an action that caused her to bang her head against a bedframe. "Oww oww oww. Yo-you brought a Legendary Pokemon here?!"

"I mean, I'm not sure they qualify as a capital 'L' legendary or anything like that. Actually, how does a Pokemon get counted as such-"

"Focus!" She shrieked, though she seemed to be calming down slightly realizing that the powerful and dangerous Pokemon wasn't liable to pop out any time soon. "First off, can you actually handle such a powerful Pokemon on your team? Even for non-Legendaries, adding a Pokemon that is vastly stronger than their current team can unbalance the dynamic they have, to say nothing of the potential accidents that can occur if the newly caught Pokemon lashes out."

"Please. Of course we can handle Iron Moth. The biggest issue when we ran into them was the fact that they kept on attacking me, so my team had to divert attention away from that." Well, the fact that it was so boosted when we first ran into it was a problem too, but not one that should be relevant now. "I'm pretty sure at least half of my team could take them on one-v.-one."

Too many area attacks and enough speed and power to match Phantasm while being tougher than her to boot. Same for Athena, and with a Type disadvantage on top that would make me leery of using her to fight them even with Mega Evolution. Bahamut is a little too inexperienced to win a fight, at least, so long as it knows to stick to Poison Type attacks against him, as the rest of their repertoire wouldn't be too effective. For everyone else, though? They'd win.

"Yet it took you and two Ranger Captains to take them down before," Amelia pressed.

"Not really. Iron Moth had mostly defeated Buffy and Zedd by the time I got there."

The young woman just intently stared at me, to the point where I shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

"Little kids shouldn't have that much power." Her voice was whisper-soft, and I didn't think she intended for me to hear her.

"Well, I do. So are you going to help me or what?"

"I'm sorry."

Huh?

The confusion was clear on my face, so she explained. "I haven't treated you the best from the beginning. I had my reasons, and you jumped to conclusions, but-" The Nurse Joy cut herself off before she could carry down that train of thought. "I am truly sorry for how I behaved before."

"Well, thank you."

"Now, I might have some ideas about how to help you, but if I could get some details about your plans here and what this 'Iron Moth is like, that would be helpful."

Relaxing my guard a tad, I explained what Iron Moth was like, an overview of our battle, and my ideas.

"I have a Psychic friend in town who might be able to help us communicate." Shaking her head, Amelia struck my first idea down.

"You said they're a Poison Type? Then don't start out with Pschic or the like. They'll likely take it as an attack. What else?"

Oof. I get the reasoning, but that does eliminate my best option. "Well, I could try talking the old-fashioned way. Miles might be able to help translate until I get a handle on their body language."

"And if they're still violent and disinclined to listen upon being released?"

"I figured I'd challenge them to fight one of my team, one on one. Figured it would establish dominance, prove the desert wasn't a fluke." Assuming they're even willing to listen to me that much, admittedly. If not… I don't know. In that case we might need to pin the Paradox Pokemon down and force them to listen.

A considering 'Mhm,' came from the nurse. "That can work. Not always, of course, but if you're sure of your team-"

"I am."

"Then it could appeal to some Pokemon. Hard to say if it will work with this one, though. From your description, the closest Pokemon to it would be a Volcarona, and those are rare enough themselves that they were considered Legendaries for some time, so the behaviors of wild ones aren't well documented. From what is known, most of them are used to being treated with great respect. You don't have to roll over for them, but bowing and treating them with courtesy won't hurt. Giving them time before you engage them wouldn't hurt. The state of stasis inside the Pokeball will mean they won't feel the days passing as clearly as you do…"

Amelia went on to explain how near to the Passage entrance might serve as a good spot to release them, as it was similar enough to how some Larvesta would spend their time in caves. She also gave me a list of berries that they were generally known to like that I could leave out when I released them.

The rest of the advice, like giving it time, being patient, and not trying to force them to do something they didn't want to (as long as it wasn't dangerous to other people), was fairly basic, but I listened to it regardless before departing.

On the way to Dendra's, I checked my messages, seeing a reply from Friede. He was eager to help me and see this new Pokemon I'd found, but he was over in Sinnoh at the moment, so it'd take him a week to fly over.

When I questioned if he was riding by Charizard, his response was a slightly ominous 'you'll see soon.'

Dendra had sold her old home and moved into the dojo full time, with the blessing of her teacher. I always want to check if that enigmatic 'Chuck' is the same as former Jhotoan Gym Leader but never seem to find the right opportunity to, then I forget about it with whatever new thing is up.

Whoever they were, I was sure they'd be impressed by what she had done with the place. A new coat of paint, a clean yard, some new fancy topiary in the shape of different Fighting Types (courtesy of Tulip), and a large, colorful sign boasting of the dojo's nature did much to attract and retain new students. From inside, I could hear a bustle of powerful exertions and heavy breathing.

Opening the sliding door, I saw a full class of twenty-plus students sparring or watching matches from the sidelines. A few stopped and turned to wonder who this person intruding was, Dendra herself brightening up as she caught my eye.

She didn't say anything until she called the latest round over, but when she did, the young woman bounded over. "Nemona! Osu!" She cried, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Urk! Great to see you too…" I wheezed before she released me.

"We're partway through the class, but do you want to join in?"

"Sorry, but I don't think the doctors would approve," I said, showing off the many bandages covering my flesh. More to the point, I don't think my parents would. I promised them I wouldn't take unnecessary risks, and while I think this one is minor, it definitely fits. "Let's talk after, though, okay?" She looked so eager I hated to turn her down, but she bounced back quickly, and with a quick cheer, got back to running the class.

She's really doing well with them all. I can see how she could become a great teacher at Uva. Wonder if that will still happen after everything? I wasn't worried if that didn't turn out to be the case here; she was clearly doing great right now, in her element.

Watching the class did bring me a slight pang, realizing how my own skills were getting rusty. I also recognized some of the other students. While I had practiced a bit with some of the new students she had taken on after my tournament victory, preparations for my journey and album release took up much of my time, and I wasn't able to practice too often with the newer students. No matter what life you're in, it feels like there's just never enough time to do everything.

Class finished not too long after, though the wrap-up took a fair bit of time. The students would laugh and talk with each other, hanging out for a while. Some also had questions for Dendra, so I waited until they were all finished before she called me.

"Sorry about that, Nemona."

"No worries. I'm the one who should be sorry for dropping in on you like that. And for… how I left things last time."

"It's o-"

"It really isn't. I was in a bad headspace, but that doesn't excuse just ditching you and Tulip like that. I'm sure I must have worried you both." From the look on her face, I could see that I'd hit the mark. "I should go and apologize to her too. Do you know when she'll be home?" I asked, knowing that Tulip had a busy and erratic schedule and that her best friend likely had a better picture of it.

"She's out at a shoot right now, but she should be back home in time for dinner. Uh, our place, not her parents." The martial artist's face grew scarlet quickly, but there was an undeniable joy that came through her tone as she spoke the words.

"Your place, huh? Congrats, I'm glad for you two."

"Thanks," she squeaked before clearing her throat. "So why are you back here? Did you finish your journey and collect all the badges in one Treasure hunt?"

"Not quite, still have to go for my eighth badge. Besides, it's not like I started at the start of the hunt - or am even a student of Uva - for that to matter. No, I ended up back here after a minor misadventure and figured I should clear the air. And maybe get some advice from my sensei?" I asked hopefully.

She beamed widely in response. "Lay it on me! Sensei Dendra is happy to help!"

Spoiler: A/N:

Sometimes the direction of a story really surprises you. Other times, it just dips in slightly unexpected ways. This was one of the latter. Not a huge shock for me and I always planned on Nemona reconnecting with these characters, but the vague plans I had before involved them meeting elsewhere and having it happen later, but as I got to this chapter I just sort of realized what needed to happen. Tbf, I left a lot of plot threads to tie up here, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

For anyone wondering, Iron Moth won't be added onto the team list until at least next time when Nemona gets the chance to talk to them and work things out.

If you liked the chapter feel free to leave me a comment, here or on the Discord. And if you're enjoying my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons:

Thank you so much for the support of my thirty five Beginner Tier Patreons and an extra special thanks to my Ace Tier Patreons, RageLord and Nodal_Gravity!

Dendra and I chatted for a while before I let her go, promising to fill her in on more of my adventures when I met with Tulip. For now, I have an unruly Paradox Pokemon to rein in. Or at least get to not violently attack anything in its vicinity; I'd settle for that.

There were some small markets in Alfornada where I was able to grab the berries Amelia had suggested before going to a spot beside the Dalizapa Passage, just a hundred meters away from the entrance. Close enough that Iron Moth can see it, but not so close that they can easily slip away.

For the moment I wasn't going to have them be released inside a barrier but had half of my team placed strategically nearby before pressing the button. At my touch, the bindings snapped back, reeled back into the restraining device as the Pokeball snapped open. In a flash of light and fire, Iron Moth materialized above the open field. The Paradox Pokemon was conscious now, but still battered, a few of their metal plates dented from our prior battle. Nothing that couldn't be healed quickly at a Pokemon Center, but enough to make them think twice about attacking me.

Apparently I underestimated how quickly they could think. What's that meme about being wrong faster? I mused to myself as the Pokemon rushed towards me, slamming into an invisible yet impenetrable field. At least, invisible to their eyes; mine were clear from the illusion Phantasm had thrown over Dun and the others, letting my starter Protect me with ease.

"So, my name is Nemona, and I'd really appreciate it if you calmed down." I began, hoping that they would take a less aggressive stance.

Instead, they took a slightly smarter but no less violent position. Darting back, they began to pelt me with ranged attacks. Notch blocked them fairly easily, and with a wave of my hand, Dun jumped up and Body Slammed the Paradox Pokemon down.

The pained and pitiful mechanical-sounding wail they gave upon being hit tugged at my heartstrings, but I quickly shoved that down. If they don't want to be attacked, they shouldn't be attacking me.

Iron Moth tried burning Dun with their wings, but unable to spin them, Dun simply Roosted atop their back. They gave up after a few moments of realizing they couldn't hurt him. Instead, they chose to affix me with a glare (at least, I assumed it was that from the way their crosshair eyes narrowed and stretched out to face me).

"Don't look at me like that - I wouldn't be doing this if you weren't attacking me." There was a pause as their eyes resumed their usual round shape. Then, they made an unmistakable mechanical sound, like grinding gears.

What it meant, I didn't know, but I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. At my direction, my starter hopped off their back and returned to my side (Phantasm didn't bother keeping them covered in an illusion anymore, but she maintained it for the rest of my team). "Would you like some berries?" I asked, gesturing down at the pile I'd gathered for them.

They looked down at the food and slowly shook their body. Then they gestured with their wings toward the horizon, an odd motion that I had to puzzle out for a second. "You run on solar energy?" A 'ding' sound was emitted from them, which I took to be a 'yes.'

"Interesting. Your predecessor was often called 'The Sun God Pokemon' for they were revered as such. Or maybe the inspiration for you; I'm sorry, do you remember how you came to be here?" They jabbed one of their wings in my direction, causing my Pokemon to bristle up even though it was nowhere near me.

"Ha. Ha. Yes, I did release you here. I was talking about how you got to be in the desert. Or beyond that, how you ended up in the Great Crater- uh, that big pit," I explained realizing they might not know it by its proper name. If that got their attention, my next words definitely captured it. "Or how you ended up in this time."

A pause, a moment of complete stiffness, then an explosion of fire erupted all around them. I raised a hand, holding the others back while Notch blocked the flames. As they died out, Iron Moth fully dropped to the ground, propped up on four of their six wings, looking exhausted.

"You need to stop lashing out like that. For your own sake as well as everyone else's. I don't think you were meant to drain yourself this much." They made a scraping sound that I hoped was merely them grumbling but made no further moves against me/the surroundings.

After a minute I said, "I'd like to get to know you, for you to travel with me and explore the land. I think we could become good friends." They looked incredulously at me. "It's true! Things were a bit bumpy when I met Nightwing - that's uh, the Gliscor that knocked you out - but we quickly became allies, and now we're the best of buds."

It was hard to tell what they thought of all of that, but they didn't respond, so I just continued. "For now, how about we get to know each other better?" I sat down to show that I was trying to speak on the same level with them. "Personally, what I love most in the world is discovering new things. From studying books to exploring the land, there are so many incredible things to learn here."

One of their vents let loose a whistle sound as air escaped it. "Are you alright? No? Yes? Yes, ok, good to know. Is that a regulatory function or an attempt at communication?" We went back and forth like that for a few minutes. There was obviously a message they were trying to get me to understand, but it wasn't clear what it was until they released another burst of air. Slowly, so as to not be mistaken for an attack, but it still hit me in the face. At least, not a physical attack.

"You're saying I'm full of hot air?" I deadpanned to some digital beeping sounds, mixed in with a few huffs and chitters of laughter from certain members of my team. "Yeah, yeah, yuck it up," I groused before more seriously addressing the Paradox Pokemon once more. "But I stand by those words. This world is fantastic, with adventure and friendship around every corner. And I think we could have a good relationship in spite of the rocky start because of that. Also, because there may be no person other than me who better understands what it's like to lose your world and be caught in a strange, unfamiliar land."

There were more digital and mechanical sounds, whines, intermingled blaring alarms, and shrieks. "Calm down, calm down. Let me explain. If you let me, I'll tell you my story of how I came to be here and what I know about Paradox Pokemon like yourself." That shut them up, and they listened intently as I began explaining my story.

"I was running out the door of my house a few years ago when suddenly everything hit me, and I remembered my past life…"

***

"Nemona! It's wonderful to see you again," Tulip said as she opened the door to her apartment. "Please, come in."

"Thank you," I said. It was a cozy place, warm colors for the floral-patterned wallpaper. The living room had a large TV in the corner opposite a small couch with a large circular coffee table in between it and a couple of other plush chairs.

The living room led directly into the kitchen, which was a little crowded due to the table in the center of it letting it pull double duty as a dining room. I remember Dendra said her parents always made her eat dinner in the dining room, not in front of the TV. While the decor is mostly Tulip, there are some things, like the speed ball hanging in the corner that just scream the other girl.

As if conjured by my thoughts, the other resident of the house came around the corner from the hallway past the kitchen. "Nemona, great to see you. We were wondering when you'd show up."

Sheepishly, I scratched the back of my head. "Sorry about that, Radiance has been a handful. Still, we're making progress."

"If you need any help, we're always happy to assist," Tulip said, her hazel eyes glowing slightly.

"Reading my mind, huh? That's a new trick." Not that I'm surprised; she was always skilled in that way with her Psychic powers, and the training she did with me must have boosted her proficiency there.

Dendra groaned. "I know, right? So annoying, I can't surprise her at all anymore."

"Oh? You didn't seem to mind when I found out exactly where to-"

"Tulip!" Dendra's voice caught, her eyes shooting over to me. The model remembered me and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Ah, right, sorry about that. You always feel much older mentally than I'm used to." Carefully, I didn't think anything about that and instead directed the conversation back to my newest Pokemon.

"It's fine. I appreciate the offer for help, but Radiance is prickly enough, even just around me." To be fair, I haven't really been able to test out how they'd react to other people yet, but given their initial reaction to the Rangers… well, best not to risk it yet.

"Radiance huh? That's a nice name," Dendra commented.

"Given how close they are in appearance to a Volcarona and their skill with Fire and even a fair few Electric attacks, it seemed fitting. That, and it was better than 'Most Effervescent Emperor of the Rotten Flame."

Dendra snorted. "Did they really want to call themselves that?"

"Yes. That, or Miles was playing a really good prank on me, in which case, kudos." The phone in question floated up to respond.

"Bzzt, sadly I can't take the credit there… It was Phantasm's idea." Tulip let out a few peals of laughter while Dendra guffawed loudly. "Though when I brought it up, they did seem happy with it, and 'Most Effervescent Monarch of the Rotten Flame' was their own idea."

"Ugh, yes, I know; I was there. You're the worst," I said, without any heat in my voice. Miles grinned cheekily at me before simply sliding back in my pocket.

"Sounds like you've been having fun - the oven's about to go off - why don't you have a seat and tell us about it?" The elegant young woman offered, right before the timer did indeed go off. Dendra rushed ahead, slapping on a pair of oven mitts and pulling out a large homemade pizza.

"Thanks. Yeah, it's been good. Working with Radiance has been my latest project, though they're a bit prickly. Oh, and I know I messaged you about possibly helping me communicate with them but I won't need your help there." Which is a polite way to say that Radiance has vehemently refused it. Which is frustrating, because I don't know why they're doing that, in no small part because communication with them is still difficult. Still, I'll have patience. Some progress is better than no progress, and that's what we're making right now.

Dinner was a fun, relaxed affair. I had plenty of time to catch them up on all of my adventures (and they admitted they'd watched all the videos of my other Gym fights), and they told me about all of their stuff. Dendra's classes were getting bigger, and she was considering hiring another teacher, while Tulip was being given more responsibilities within the Gym.

"It's odd how much Oberon has retreated from the spotlight ever since, well…" Tulip trailed off awkwardly, and I took that as my opportunity.

"Ever since Raifort stole one of his Pokemon, and I left abruptly. I wanted to apologize for that."

"And for chasing after a dangerous criminal by yourself, ignoring my instructions to the contrary?" Tulip asked in a voice that was far too sweet.

"Uh oh," Dendra 'helpfully' warned, and I grimaced.

"I- yes, I shouldn't have run off alone like that." Tulip narrowed her eyes, clearly not missing how the only part I agreed with was the 'alone' part and that next time I simply would have dragged her along with me. After a second, we both broke out laughing.

"Oh Nemona, never change."

"I think we're always changing in little ways. But I believe the core of who I am will stay the same for as long as I'm alive." The conversation carried on from there, but my mind stuck on it as I slept, spread out in the guest room the couple had prepared for me.

Will I be the same me in the next life? Will I remember what came before next time? What world will I end up in? Pokemon-Earth has been fantastic, but I can't help but wonder if the next will be as good or worse. Or even, why me? What did I do to deserve this? Did I simply slip through the cracks in whatever metaphysics make up the afterlife and Arceus didn't care enough to consign me to oblivion, or is this all part of a grander purpose I simply can't perceive yet? Gazing out the window at the starry sky above, I pondered these questions, but no answer came from the cosmos. A giant purple head within the room did stick out over mine and cut off my view of the stars, though.

"WHA-!" My exclamation of surprise was cut off by a grunt of pain as I bumped my head against the headboard and then fell off the bed, clutching my head. The small dark figure in the room stood still, not bothering to move in response to my scramble to get away and regain my bearings. My scramble was cut off by a sudden force that prevented me from moving back further.

From the dim starlight illuminating the room, I caught how my shadow was entangled with that of the small intruder's. They were only two feet tall, with a humanoid body that almost looked like they had twintails and were wearing a dress. Turning to face me, the Gothorita waved a hand back and forth, and I felt myself following them.

"You- you're the Gothita from before, the one who extended her ribbon out," I puzzled aloud while trying to figure out what was going on. Why is she here? Is she trying to kidnap me?! I'd heard the tales but never expected it myself. It's not like I feel hypnotized; my thoughts are clear; I just can't stop myself from following her. Shadow Tag can't force someone to follow, only to stop a retreat. Wait, the way she's moving her hand, why do my eyes have to track it!

"You learned Follow Me, didn't you? Wow, that's incredible! And you evolved too, very nice. But uh, please stop using it to drag me away?" After how I acted the last time I saw her, I don't want to hurt her, but I also really don't want to be kidnapped either!

Thankfully, I didn't need to do anything else, as my shout caused Tulip's Gallade to slam the door open, staring down at the little intruder. Her face said it all. Busted.

***

Tulip and Dendra had woken up from the commotion and were on the couch in their nightgowns (a silky sheer thing for Tulip and what looked like a onesie for Dendra), staring down the Gothorita who was sitting down, pouting in the corner. Well, Tulip was staring her down, and Dendra was still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"So, what's going on again?"

I tried to explain to my sensei as best I could. "From my understanding, she managed to pick the lock, maybe with a Confusion? Then snuck into my room to force me to leave. Gallade sensed an unfamiliar Psychic presence, and when he heard my raised voice, he came rushing in to save me."

"From here I'm a little unsure; I didn't catch all of the Psychic byplay between her and Gallade. But from what I understand, she first asked him to let her go, then tried to bribe the Fighting Type with a Twisted Spoon, before begging, and now finally was pouting that she wasn't allowed to steal me."

"You missed the fact that she pointed out that 'Gallade already had two humans and was just being greedy to keep you too,' but yes, that's the general gist of the situation." Tulip said, still staring unimpressed at the Gothorita, the poor Pokemon's Fake Tears not moving the Psychic Type expert in the slightest.

"You really do run into the craziest stuff, don't you?" Dendra commented, but I shook my head.

"Nah, this is nothing. I'm sure there are Trainers out there who have all sorts of insane adventures on a weekly basis." Then again, perhaps Ash isn't the best example of what the average Trainer goes through. I turned my attention to Gothorita.

"Look, if you wanted to be on my team, all you had to do was ask." The girly Pokemon instantly dropped any pretense of feeling sad, jumping up and down in joy before directing the smuggest smile I've ever seen at Tulip, who just raised a thin eyebrow. As the Pokemon raised her hand, I cut her off. "Joining my team is different than kidnapping me to whatever den you have in the wilderness."

The look of shock on her face was just as exaggerated as the smug smile she had presented before. What, were you Anya in a past life? At least you're a Psychic Type unlike Bahamut. Though he's gotten far more reserved since evolving. He still cares and all, but he's more focused on being 'cool' and is showing more of that pride Dragons are infamous for when he spars with the others. A snippet of that thought tangent garnered a confused look from Tulip before she shrugged it off. The Gothorita, on the other hand, blinked slowly and shook her head, looking deep at me.

It's said that their line often looks intently for something only they can see. Could she know that I- Once more, I cut off my thoughts before they could venture into dangerous territory nearby a bunch of Psychics. That was easier said than done, but aided by directing the conversation away.

"I'm flattered you like me, but I need to be a Trainer, fight epic battles, and explore the world. If that isn't what you want, then that's fine, but I couldn't be me without following my dreams." As the tears started welling up again, I finished by saying, "You saw something in me that made you want to be around me. That's an intrinsic part of what makes me special."

The Gothorita stopped her forced sad display and instead had a more honest, unsure expression. Her head would dart back and forth, looking one way or the other into empty space. Perhaps she's literally seeing where each path would take her. Or rather, could take her. The future is not set in stone, at least not here. I've read a few studies on it, though the physics of it still elude me.

Glancing over at the human couple, I saw them give me encouraging smiles but staying out of it. It was quite kind of them, but I didn't know what to do here. Should I push her to join my team or not? Though… I don't have to make this choice right now, do I?

"I can't say what you'd be losing by leaving here; you would know that far better than me. But I might be able to show you what life on my team would be like." That brought her back to the moment. "Many of my matches get filmed so people can watch them later."

Miles floated up, expanding their phone until it was more like a tablet. Then, they began playing a clip showing off Athena's battle against Ryme's Pokemon. She blinked and looked entirely bewildered by what she was seeing, pointing rapidly at the me on the screen and then back to me in person.

"Haha, yeah, it's just a recording. An image of a past event. You won't get my thoughts or feelings from it directly, but it'll give you another piece of the puzzle for you to decide. Uh, that is, if some kind and generous young ladies would be willing to host you for a week or so until I finish up my Gym Run and Champion Challenge?" I asked with a hopeful grin on my face.

"Sure we… would discuss and consider such a thing," Dendra exclaimed awkwardly. Heh. Must be a bit of an adjustment, living with someone else. You can't just decide things for the home all by yourself.

Thankfully, Tulip didn't seem to mind. "We could do that; it shouldn't be a problem."

"Really?" I asked.

"Really. The Gym season is wrapping up, so even with Oberon giving me more work, I'm sure at least one of my team could watch over her during that time. But are you certain you can beat it that fast? The Eighth Gym Badge is usually the hardest to earn, to say nothing of the Elite Challenge."

"I'm sure. With how strong my team is, nothing's going to stop us. I've booked my challenge with Larry online and will head to Medali tomorrow. After that, it's just a matter of how much last-minute training I want to get in before taking on the Champion Gauntlet." Larry will be a good measure of how tough the Elite Four will be. I've blown through the Gym Leaders thus far, and my team's only been getting stronger. But even if they're stronger than I anticipated, we have to do this soon. I'm not worried though; this is just another step to the top. I'll reach for the stars, no matter how far.

Speaking of which, I saw Gothorita gazing at me with stars literally twinkling in her eyes. She nodded her large head (nearly falling over) before hopping onto one of the chairs and motioning for Miles to show her more. The Pokemon also seemed mildly fascinated by everything else in the house, unused to furniture and appliances.

"Wait what? You're taking on the Gauntlet?" Dendra asked, shocked, while Tulip looked confused.

"Is that different from an Elite Challenge?" She asked her partner, and Dendra nodded vigorously.

"Oh yeah, it's an entirely different way to try and reach Champion rank, hasn't been used in ages."

As Dendra explained, Tulip rolled her eyes. "She always gets like this when she happens to know something I don't. Quite annoying really," the model said. I'd believe you more if the tone wasn't wistful and you weren't staring up lovingly at her.

My sensei carried on. "A Champion Gauntlet has a contender take on the entire Elite Four and Top Champion - if they get that far - in a single day. Hasn't been used since the founding of the League." Tulip stopped fawning after her girlfriend at that and looked at me concerned.

I cleared my throat. "Hasn't been completed successfully since the early days. They've made some adjustments since then, like only fighting four Pokemon from each Elite Four, and getting the right to challenge the Champion so long as I win at least two battles against the Elites."

"That's still a tall task you burden yourself with," Tulip said. Or more likely guessed. I think she's still a little sleepy to comprehend all the differences between a Gauntlet and regular Elite Challenge or why the former is considered so much harder even with the adjustments made over the years.

Shrugging, I said. "Gotta aim for the top, right? Besides, like I said before; I'm ready. I can do this." I need to be able to do this. I need something dramatic, something so big that it'll force Turo to listen to me. And if he won't, can force the rest of the League to do so.

The two of them exchanged glances, and there were volumes spoken in those looks that I couldn't even begin to fathom. A pang of jealousy struck me, and Tulip's head whipped around to face me before I could bury it.

She gave me a sad smile, and said, "We're always willing to lend an ear if you need it."

I paused, then chuckled. "Damn, you're really getting good at this Psychic stuff, huh?" Most people would have thought the jealousy I felt was towards one or the other, a puppy crush, not towards just the bond you have. I kept those thoughts loud enough for her to easily hear, while hiding the indistinct ones thinking up ways I could better conceal what I felt buried down below.

"I know, and I appreciate it. And sorry for imposing upon you guys like this. I know this is sudden and-" Tulip held up a hand.

"It's fine; you don't have to worry. Nor do you have to feel so bad about asking for help."

"Especially for things that worry you," Dendra added, looking down at me with concern.

"..." I stalled out, unsure of what to say for a minute. I debated whether I should tell them, and what, back and forth in that time, until the flapping of paper caught my attention. Ah, better tamp down on my Aura.

Slowly, I calmed down, looking at their worried faces (worried for me, not of me, at least), then to Gothorita. The Pokemon tilted her head towards the pair, which I wasn't sure if it was unconscious or not, but I decided to take as a good sign.

Hesitantly, I began. "It's… I'm not sure how big a problem it will be. No, that's not quite right. It's binary. Either it won't be a problem or it will be one so big I barely even know how I'd deal with it."

Dendra frowned. "Can't be bigger than taking on all the Elites and the Champion, right? Oh. Oh crud, it's bigger than that?!"

I gave her a thin smile. "Might be. I'm prepared to handle it, if need be. But if it does turn out to be a big deal, I'll let you know, see how you can help." They're both excellent Trainers, but I don't want to throw them directly into the fray. "And sorry for being so vague about it, I just-"

"You're worried about hurting someone else. If things don't turn out to be a 'big problem?'" The model asked, the slight humor at my understatement overshadowed by the concern in her voice.

"Yeah. Thanks for understanding." I wrapped them up in a quick hug.

"Urk, your training… paid off," Tulip wheezed to her lover.

"Thanks!" The martial artist girl cheered back.

That noise was the straw that broke the camel's back, as one of the neighbors banged on the walls and shouted, "Stop making such a racket!"

"Whoopsie. Uh, we should probably go to bed now anyways. Sorry for keeping you up." I let them go, and we went back to our beds. The future, whether Gothorita would join my team, if I could convince Turo to halt his plans, and if I was truly ready to face what was supposed to be the greatest challenge of an entire region, all weighed heavily on my mind. As I drifted off, though, all I could think of were the incredible friends I'd made thus far.

Spoiler: A/N:

Radiance joins the team! Volcarona is one of my favorite Pokemon, but this is an SV fic, and with Iron Moth having one of the best designs out of all the Paradox Pokemon (imo), I decided I'd add one of them onto the team. There's still a fair bit of work to do before they'll be joining in battles on a regular basis, but they've agreed to travel with Nemona and not burninate everything - for now.

In related news, Gothorita is interested, but still on the fence. Not all wild Pokemon want to leave their homes, even if they grow attached (or fixated in this case) to certain people.

And with this arc wrapped up, we're heading ever closer to the Elite Four. Just one Gym Leader left (and maybe a mini-adventure inbetween) and then on to the greatest challenge in the land. But before any of that, an Interlude, coming up next update. If you liked it feel free to leave a comment here or on the Discord. And if you're enjoying my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Spearow]

Would love to have an interlude of what they actually picked up from her head, be it by accident or on purpose.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons:

Thank you so much for the support of my thirty nine Beginner Tier Patreons and an extra special thanks to my Ace Tier Patreons, RageLord and Nodal_Gravity!

Raifort POV

Slipping past a guard, I hid behind a shipping container, waiting for his partner to finish their loop. From what I'd seen of them, they were sloppy, and tonight proved to be no different, with the other guard continuing along around the bend without waiting for their partner to be covering them. A good thing, as they'll be hauling these crates out by first light.

That time frame still gave me plenty of hours in which to get the items for my mysterious buyer. Ducking ahead through where the gap in the guard's surveillance was, I made my way deeper into the maze of crates and containers that made up this wharf.

Sticking to the shadows, I avoided any prying eyes as I made my way to the target. Despite the lack of light, I had no problem making out the label I was looking for. Crate number 104, aka, the one holding the 'rare book' the client wants.

A small part of me couldn't help but wonder what my 'client' wanted with it. Not how I usually operated, but a historical artifact like this was intriguing to my own sensibilities. Pah, 'usually' I'd simply snatch such a find for myself (even if I'm more interested in treasure and lore of history, not millions of years pre-history). But that was a few months ago.

I was paused outside the crate, waiting in my hiding spot as I tried to figure out how to go from here. Cautiously, I pulled out one of my Pokeballs and released Haunter out in front of me.

"Hauuuunter," they wailed, and I waved for them to be quiet.

"Shhh! Look, we've been over this. Help me with this score, and I'll be able to feed everyone for a good while, ok?" He clapped his hands once before quieting down at my glare. We waited a minute for any sign of a guard walking by before I spoke up again.

"You just need to slip past the door, then open it from the other side. Simple enough, no?" He eagerly agreed, his body shifting to squeeze through the crack in the crate door. Perhaps some Moves could have been better in opening it up, but the Porto Marinada security wasn't a joke. They had plenty of security Pokemon that could detect such things. It was why I kept my partner in her ball, despite how useful illusions would be for sneaking around.

The door creaked open, the hinges a little rusty but nothing so noisy as to attract attention from down the dock. Before I could breathe a sigh of relief, though, alarms started blaring from around the container, a security light at the top flashing.

Haunter, who had been floating there triumphantly a second ago, now shrieked in panic, waving their hands up wildly in the air. Groaning, I pushed past them, rummaging through the container. "Hold off anyone who comes looking!" I released Seviper to help him while I looked through the crates.

I hate this. Stupid technology, giving people warnings. Sure, ancient ruins sometimes have traps built into them, but I know how to spot those better! All these wires and security systems… very much not what I like to deal with. Back in the 'good old days,' I would hire patsies to break through any modern security if I needed to. In my current situation, I was lacking in options.

A flashlight shined through the container, causing me to hiss and shield my eyes. "Is that- it's Raifort, the Pokethief!" The guard holding the flashlight proclaimed. I bit back the urge to correct him. I'm a regular thief! The Pokemon theft was just a means to an end! And I gave them back! An act that ended up screwing me over, but I couldn't regret it, not after remembering how distressed that Klefki had been. Just everything else about that dumb heist I regret.

The guard was accompanied by another one, both of them releasing their Pokemon. From the sounds of sizzling acid on concrete, however, none of the security team was eager to close in on two Poison Types. I used the chance to look through the crates more carefully, prying open a few boxes.

It took a minute to find the long case holding the stone scepter (though along the way I found a handful of specialty Pokeballs and evolution stones, which I shoved into my bag, hoping I could pawn them off for a few extra Pokedollars later). After confirming the crimson bound book was within the long crate, I slammed the lid back shut and hefted it outside. There, I saw another couple of security officers join the standoff, sending out their own Maschiffs to join the ones already hounding my Pokemon.

"Is this some kind of a joke? Haunter, use Dazzling Gleam! Seviper, cover him." My Ghost Type stop belching out noxious fumes with smog and instead gathered a large burst of light above them while Seviper breathed out an Icy Haze over the dock, obscuring their vision. Hmm, they must have buffed themselves up a bit while I was busy.

It did the trick; obscuring their vision for a moment was all Haunter needed to bathe them in the Fairy Type attack, crushing their resistance. What they get for all using the same Pokemon. I don't care how good they are at their job; sharing a critical weak point is the biggest vulnerability you can have. Sir Frances proved that a scant four hundred years ago when he attempted to lead a Kalosan invasion through these very docks- As the dog Pokemon gave pitiful howls, I heard other guards rushing to our location.

Clicking my tongue in frustration, I looked for a way out. Running in between the crates, I soon found myself at the edge of the pier, water in front of me and angry shouts behind. Recalling my Poison Types, I released Grumpig. "Platform, please."

Nodding his head, he created a glowing pink horizontal screen for us to step on. I hefted the crate on top with me, and Grumpig slowly directed it across the water. I need to work out more. Though it would be easier if I could just carry it outside of the case, but the padding will help if anything happens.

As if on cue, a Barraskewda launched itself out of the water at us, narrowly missing me. A small boat turning towards us indicated it wasn't a wild Pokemon being randomly aggressive with us, but a sign of focused opposition. "It seems they still haven't learned their lesson," I said, drawing out Lumineon's Pokeball. "Show them the error of their ways; no one gets between me and my treasure."

Releasing my Pokemon, they splashed into the water, glowing brightly under the dark waves. This made him into an instant target, but since his evolution, he was strong enough to defend himself. Under the water, Whirlpools swirled, battering the ship and all of the aquatic Pokemon sent after us.

The battle was close, however, and I saw that the boat would soon reach me if I didn't do anything to fix it. "Oho? Such persistent fools," I said as I released Scizor. "Bullet punch. Show them that if they haven't learned anything from the failures to catch me so far, they're doomed to repeat their mistakes."

The sight of my Bug Type, his red exoskeleton gleaming in the dim light, earned a yelp of surprise from someone onboard. It was too late for them to recall their Pokemon to defend the ship from our counterattack. Scizor, for his part, flew up, well above the boat… before diving straight down, punching a hole through the bottom. That might have been a bit overkill, but it did the job. I'm sure with their own Water Types they'll live. Right?

Banishing such nusancesome distracting thoughts from my mind, I turned my attention to my Pokemon. Scizor's waterlogged wings and steel-coated body meant he couldn't swim away from the destruction he had caused. Thankfully, Lumineon was able to push him forward to the point that I could return both of them. The coast guard had bigger problems than us to deal with now, desperately trying to escape their sinking ship.

Grumpig and I jumped off the platform as we reached dry-ish land. Running along the beach, I made as much headway as I could. Which was, unfortunately, little, as one final security officer chased after me, hanging off of his Bronzong as it floated through the air.

"We've found them! Sound the alar-"

"Night Slash," I called out, tossing my Pokeball up so it bounced right off of the enemy Psychic Type, releasing Zoroark above them. My starter slashed down with vicious glee, sending the hunk of metal crashing to the beach, the man on his back landing with a nasty crunch.

As his howling got annoying, I asked Zoroark, "Can you filter him out?" She gave a quick nod of her head, and suddenly blessed silence took hold. Only an illusion, but at least it gives me some peace of mind. Now, let's take some away from them.

"Set multiple fires around the containers. Let's craft an image of destruction and terror as great as the end of the envious King Jeharis," I stated grandly. Zoroark smirked, knowing as well as I did the tales of the monarch his splendour and the magnificent jewelry he wore which drove his enemies to burn his city to the ground, and needing no further instruction.

Raising a hand as if she were composing a melody. What rang out was not music but the snap and crackle of burning wood, the hiss of flames. The auditory elements were accompanied by the visual ones, great bonfires bursting up at different places all over the docks. She took my instructions to the letter, with the flames occasionally 'leaping' from one stack of totes to another in that same odd motion like a fish surfacing above the waves that had been caught on the ancient tapestry depicting 'The fall of Eldemire.'

Excellent. They'll be busy panicking until we're long gone. We slipped into the shadows, hiding in the cover of night.

***

Medali was too far to walk to. Not and meet my client on time, but there were other methods than walking. Transportation services more… discreet than Flying Taxi or Rent-a-Cyclizar. A legal gray area in how the Paldean League operated, not wishing to quash small businesses directly. And yet, they'd still like to keep a discreet eye on the comings and goings of the people here.

The 'compromise' was that more mainstream travel services simply used the government influences and resources to outcompete any others. Yet there were still those (like myself) who wanted to travel with no questions asked. I wouldn't be giving anything up if they did talk, however.

By the time I stood at the empty spot in the field I'd arranged for our transport to arrive in, I had changed my appearance entirely. Gone were the blue jacket and pants, replaced with a silky black dress. My hair was short and red, with plain (ugh) emerald earrings. No sign or trace of the accessories bearing mythological iconography I used to wear.

My regular clothes were in my bag, along with my 'acquisitions' from the auction house storage. My wig as well, having cut and dyed my hair rather than trying to wear a wig full time publicly and hoping no one found out. I suppose that one could say it's folly for me to cling onto my past and dress up like how I was pictured in every wanted poster before enacting a heist, but it feels like the only time I can be me.

I checked my ID and saw the name Gabriella Witherspoon. Bland and forgettable, one of half a dozen different fake identities I'd grabbed when the full attention of the law turned its eyes on me.

A soft breeze drew my attention upward. "I'll admit, I hadn't expected this," I stated aloud as the Pokemon and pilot descended down. There was no need to raise my voice, as this Flying Type didn't flap his wings heavily to fly but simply floated down. "I didn't realize Jumpluffs could carry people." Not a common or wild trait, to be sure. No book I've every read has hinted at the possessing such.

The reedy man remained hooked to the odd harness attached to his Pokemon even as he stood on the ground. "He's a surprising fellow, this one. But don't worry, he can carry you jus' fine." Tossing me another harness, he motioned for me to strap myself in. "Oh, you'll probably want to put your Pawmo in the ball. We'd hate for anything to happen to the little lass." He sounded like he could not possibly care less about the fate of my 'Pawmo.'

"Don't worry, little one; I'll be fine." I said, recalling my disguised Zoroark. I honestly have no idea, but at this point, I'm almost too tired to care. At least my team will tear them to shreds if they try anything.

Before my 'public debut' at the hands of that wretched child, I'd always skirted the edges of the darker side of society, but even that was enough to know that other criminals rarely wanted to throw down with each other unless they were sure of the outcome (or suicidal fools). In a Pokemon battle without any rules, both Trainers could easily become liabilities or even casualties, unless the strength gap was vast.

Hooking up the harness was awkward in my current attire, but I got it done and soon enough we were lifting off. The Jumpluff wiggled his cottony arms, conjuring a powerful wind at our backs, and began to rise. The harnesses seem to be made of a special material, which might contribute to some of it, but it still feels like a miracle that this Pokemon can fly while carrying us. I didn't know the specifics, nor did I care to imagine why.

A few cotton spores drifted around us, and I said, "Don't let those touch me."

"What? Too precious to mess up your clothes a little?" The driver said. Is 'Hecklen Transportation' indicative of his name? There's no historical significance to it, just another service some of my less-than-legal contacts passed along to me. Before I became too 'hot,' that is. No honor among thieves, and no one willing to risk Martha's wrath to hide me.

"Hardly," I bit out, shivering in the wind as we flew across the night sky. "But I've heard tales of what those spores can do to someone's skin. Horrible coughing fits, rashes, and worse."

"Pluff pluff pluff," the Pokemon in question chortled, and I could just imagine the malicious glee in its beady red eyes as it did so. Still, the spores drifted just enough that they avoided landing on either one of us.

Silence fell afterwards, neither of us having any desire to fill the air with meaningless chatter. Down below, I could see countless ruins calling out to me. This stretch of land is filled with them. What ancient texts might they hold? Do safeguards and traps from the past remain for me to test my mind and might against?

My daydreams of having the means and opportunities to explore them ended as we neared the city. The man started taking us down, well outside the city limits. "Wait, what's going on?"

"Sorry, can't make it into the city proper. A few… bureaucratic disputes between myself and them. There's only a kilometer left." Easy for the one not wearing heels to say! I seethed but said nothing as we landed, unstrapping from the Jumpluff. Releasing my disguised Zoroark, I began to walk away before he stopped me.

"Hey, where's the other half of the payment?" I had paid him half up front, and I was sorely tempted to tell him to screw off, but I had a better idea.

Adopting a slightly ditzy voice, I said, "Oh, my bad, totally forgot. Here you go," I said, handing him a wad of Pokedollars. He greedily grabbed the paper, counting it for a second before stuffing it in his bag.

"Pleasure doing business with you; feel free to call me again," he said before floating off. I very much doubt I'll be doing that. Especially since that was a bunch of Pokeopoly dollars that Zoroark was making look like real money. My only regret is that I don't get to see the look on your face when you find out, mwhaha.

The joy of messing with him and saving a few more Pokedollars didn't change my situation, and so I trudged up the hill towards the city. I can deal with the dangers, the risks, and the thrills that come with searching for lost treasure, but this? The discomfort that permeates every step of my travels, stops me from getting a good night's sleep… These details never made their way into the historical texts, and I see why now. It's a constant nuisance but with none of the excitement.

***

Getting into Medali late and exhausted made the scant few hours of sleep I got in my hotel room all the worse, but at least I got some sleep that night. I walked in the light of day through the bustling streets, grabbing a quick breakfast from the stalls that dotted the streets. Along the way to my meeting point, I took in the sights, from the Oinkologne amphitheater to the well-worn tiled streets. This city might not be considered the most energetic of the major cities of Paldea, but it has a rich history all its own.

As a child playing a video game bumped into me without looking and barely muttered 'sorry' as he blithely stumbled along, I was reminded of what I didn't like about Medali. History has its hold on this place out of inertia, rather than pride, and it shows in how technology blends with it.

In little ways, I saw how certain buildings obviously had more stories added to them, giving more space for the people but ruining the original design. People playing with handheld gaming consoles. Pah, what a fad. I just can't see the value people find in ridiculous video games. You don't need fantasy to find something interesting! History has its own…

My thoughts trailed off as my eyes caught on a bunch of televisions in a storefront. What irked me there was not the technology but the images displayed. It was an Elite Challenge from about a year ago, showing Martha. Her challenger had been a promising woman who had actually managed to win the two elite battles before this. But against Martha, she was crushed, the Dark Type Elite showing no mercy as she tore apart the woman's tactics.

I turned away, continuing down the road. I hardly needed to watch it in the first place, but then again, how could I not? I feel like I'll always be Shadow Tagged to my mother, until the end of days. My decision to strike out on my own may have been a tad impulsive, but despite the hexes and fruitless searches, I hadn't regretted it. Not until now.

Amidst the other sites of the city, there were of course posters. Easily filtered out, to the point where even I barely noticed them. But the ones with my face on them nearly made me stiffen and wonder if this would be the day I was caught. The amount of them and the push the League had been making was unusual, to say the least.

Mother would hardly sweep my misdeeds under the rug, but she wouldn't be this aggressive either, not towards me. She wants me back, not in jail. So is this the work of that Glitterati brat, or some other factor that's been making my life hell?

It didn't truly matter, but as I found myself in front of the building I was to meet my client at, I hesitated. Why carry on like this? I could go to Mom and throw myself at her feet. I wouldn't be slipping away or escaping punishment, but she'd make sure it wasn't too bad. There would be no chance of escaping her watchful eye, not as long as she lived, though. In a way, it would be a sentence worse than jail - eventually I would escape or be set free from jail.

The grumbling of my stomach reminded me of how much I'd exerted myself today, pairing perfectly with soreness in my feet. While I would never admit it aloud, either option was seeming better than carrying on as I was.

As I looked at the small tech repair shop in front of me, I muttered to myself, "Fuck it. I've come this far; might as well complete the job. We'll see how I feel after this." Despite the door having the closed sign up, my client had assured me it would be open and did indeed swing in at my touch.

The front of the store had an assortment of scattered parts and pieces for everything from computers to flashlights. There was a thin path between the tables and books to the front desk where I rang the bell. No one came, but a woman's voice shouted from the back, "Just a minute!"

This isn't a trap, right? There's no way the League could have prepared something like this here, in the middle of a city. And if it were, they would have sprung it by now. In spite of the reassurances I tried to tell myself, fear (and impatience) took hold of me, and I strode ahead, determined to find out what was keeping her. Going around the desk and through the backdoor, I found more projects she was working on and a set of stairs leading up.

Walking up to her residence, I opened the door and saw an odd collection of items. From a cave painting relief dominating one side of the room, to ancient telescopes, to a small pile of Gimmieghoul coins, to a mock-up of the theoretical 'Treasures of Ruin' that had me practically drooling.

In one corner sat one of the large home aquariums sold for those Pokemon who needed aquatic living space. I had one of those for my Fineon, before I had to go on the run. Now I just have to release him out by rivers and oceans whenever I get the chance. Within this one slowly drifted a dull brown Pokemon, its rocky scales the only distinction marking them as a Pokemon and not simply a large fish.

Much like the shop below, the entire space was rather disorganized, or perhaps scattered and organized in a pattern I couldn't see. Amidst these curiosities were the standard pieces of furniture and appliances necessary for living.

Sitting on a chair was an attractive, tanned woman, her hair a pale brown and very messy. She was wearing a matching set of orange crop and short shorts. The torn and jagged nature of her clothing matched the fanged belt and necklace she wore, as well as the vicious look in her cyan eyes as they snapped to me.

"Mom? Everything ok?" Came the voice from the tablet sitting on the coffee table, and in an instant her aggression melted away.

"Of course, sweetie, I just have some business to attend to. I promise I'll call you back soon. Love you."

He mumbled something back, which could have been interpreted as the same, but was very deliberately uncertain. "Trouble at home-"

"I told you to wait!" Sada snapped, standing up and taking a step towards me until my hand dropped to my belt on instinct, hovering over a Pokeball.

"It was more than the minute you said it'd be. Besides, I thought you'd wish to see the item I brought you. Unless I should keep it for myself?"

The woman relaxed a bit, the desire for the item clearly outweighing the annoyance she felt. "No, though since you're offering, I would like your expertise on the matter as I study that book. I picked you for a reason, you know?" She also muttered something about 'not interrupting her reconnecting with her son,' or whatever, but I didn't care.

My own curiosity piqued, I pulled the crate out of my Silph bag, placing it down on the coffee table. Opening it, I unveiled the scarlet red book within. "Excellent…" She whispered with glee, carefully raising the book out and feeling it. "You have a few hours to spare on this, yes?"

I sighed and almost wanted to tell her off, but the truth was I really didn't have anything better to do today. And damn my curiosity which gets me into these messes, but I can't deny that I wish to know more about this artifact as well. "Yes, but make sure you pay me first. And are you going to be studying it like that?" I asked, my eyes darting up and down at her state of dress.

"Ah," a slight blush dusted her cheeks. "Forgive me, getting a call from my son so early left me a bit discombobulated." She grabbed a lab coat with a fur collar that was hanging off the side of her couch and tossed it on top of her shoulders, making no moves to button it up. "There we go."

"So what is this 'Scarlet Book' anyway?" I asked as I sat down beside her as she handed me the agreed-upon sum of Pokedollars. It was a hefty amount, 50,000 all told, yet still only half what the starting price of the book would have been at auction.

The Professor smiled mysteriously. "I think I'll let you come to your own conclusions first, before presenting my own hypothesis." She cracked the book open, taking care not to damage it as she flipped it open to the first page.

"Author Professor… Heath?!" I read aloud. "This can't be right; the only untitled book Heath wrote was the Violet Book." I continued reading aloud as she turned the page. "Set out with the Area Zero Expedition today… Progress was slow, but one of the Trainers caught a glimpse of a rare Pokemon they swear they've never seen before. From accounts, it appeared to be a Donphan, but with odd mutations… will have to sketch later if I get the chance."

My mind turned over what I was reading, flipping through the pages as my voice died out. It felt like some puzzle designed to twist my brain into knots. Each piece seems like it fits except by their base premise is wrong!

After several minutes: "This must just be a fake, a copycat," I eventually concluded. "There's no way I wouldn't have heard of another book by the great Professor Heath." Those were at once some of the most intriguing and frustrating parts of historical discoveries.

To see how people of the past would mimic the great designs of their times grants a degree of insight into what the common man thought at the time that is often missed in historical accounts of the famous. Yet for all that value, the famous people are interesting because of their greatness, and to realize that what you'd hoped is not a piece of the grand tapestry of history.

"What makes you think that?" The Professor prodded, not seeming upset.

"For starters, the very color of the book. Scarlet, not Violet. It's old, but given the coloration of the pages, I'd estimate it's merely a hundred years old, not two hundred like the original. Then there's the Pokemon depicted within. 'Great Tusks?' 'Brute Bonnet?' Nothing like what the true Violet Book said Heath saw. While some of the Pokemon appear to share similarities with regular Pokemon, they're twisted but in a very different bent than how Heath depicted them. The only Pokemon that appears truly the same is the one at the end of the book, and much like all the Violet Book copies, it's too obscured to be worthwhile for study."

"That's unusual. Why keep that one the same? Also, you said that it's only the copies of the original book?"

"Yes. The original has some further details; pages in the end that were obscured are clear, supposedly." Not that that bitch Briar will publish it. I don't care if she wants to 'wait for proof to vindicate her great-grandfather's name'; it's a part of history nonetheless!

Breathing out heavily, I pushed that errant, annoying thought aside. "The details are, admittedly, unusually accurate for a copy," I continued. "For everything but the Pokemon involved, this fits perfectly with the wave of copies that were made a hundred years ago after people stopped decrying Heath's work as the ramblings of a madman. In some ways, prehistoric Pokemon being discovered there would make more sense than the futuristic ones Heath described, but- I don't get it."

If one is looking to sell a fake, why look through the details so carefully, get the little points right, but screw up the big ones? It makes no sense, unless you're looking to push a different narrative.

"It's very unusual," Sada commented, standing up and going through a stack of books before pulling out a Violet covered one from the pile and tossing it down. "A gift from my ex-husband," she said, her tone indecipherable but carrying some weight to it. Flipping the new book open, she matched it to the Scarlet one on the same page. The exact same page.

"Word for word, stroke for stroke, this is… Heath's handwriting! But how?" I hadn't realized it at first without seeing them side by side, but I've plumbed enough historical texts to match handwriting. There are simply too many similarities and too much effort put in for this to be a mere forgery, but too many inconsistencies for it to be genuine.

She gave me a wild grin, grabbing an academic journal and whipping it in front of me. "This should explain everything."

I squinted, reading it closely. "'Mitochondria form and function in class-C type Ghost Pokemon across various regions-' I don't see the connection." Sada blushed, tossing it aside.

"Ah, sorry about that. I was doing a bit of light reading before bed last night." The eccentric Professor rummaged around through her stacks of books once again before pulling out a magazine. "This should explain everything!" She declared triumphantly, one hand on her hip as she presented it to me.

I crossed my arms, somehow less impressed than before. "That rag magazine? What could 'Occulture' possibly tell us?" In response, Sada flipped it open, pointing to an article within.

"Sohdayo was the one who uncovered this story, the one that sparked the auction in the first place. The story explains how this book came from a parallel universe."

Scoffing, I snatched the magazine out of her hands, reading closely. "There's nothing in here to support his theory," I objected after finishing the article. There was some stuff about the 'mysterious circumstances' by which it found its way into the hands of the man's family who auctioned it off, but nothing to back it up. The trio of explorers with legendary Pokemon that supposedly happened upon his ancestor sound even less believable.

Sada sat back down. "I'm aware. However! There's nothing to say that it isn't true either. And from your inspection, I'd say that theory fits the bill fairly neatly. Think of what we could discover!"

"I'm interested in the past of this world, not other timelines, even if that were true." My defense was half-hearted; however, my mind was already ensnared by thoughts of how similar it was to the copies of the Violet Book.

Slowly, the other woman nodded, losing some of her excited energy. "I am as well. The secrets of the past, all the history we've lost… Paldea has some of the most intensive records out of all the known regions in the world, and there are still entire centuries that our knowledge of is relegated to a few sentences in a textbook. And that's only going back a few thousand years."

The Professor waved a hand over at the block of cave paintings standing against one wall. "We have scant details but definitive evidence on certain parts of our world millions of years ago. All our technology and advancements are looking forward and so little to the past. It's like no one gets it." The frustration and longing in her voice were emotions I'd heard pass my own lips many times, from deep sighs to impassioned speeches on the importance of our past. I felt a deep kinship with her in that moment, which was why her next words reached me so easily.

"I don't know how exactly we'll be able to determine what happened from this book, but depending on how close the world it came from was to our own, we might discover things that never could have been found through ordinary means. Would you be willing to help me with this quest?" The question was quiet, nervous. From the state of her apartment and store, it was clear she was like me and had very few others close to her. I get how lonely and scary that can be.

Still, she delivered the question with surety, and when she held out her hand to me, I took it without a second thought. "I'd be delighted to unravel the enigmas of history with you." Oho, what secrets we will uncover! What splendid historical facts await to be examined from this new lens? I wasn't entirely sure about the strange Professor yet, but nonetheless, I couldn't wait to see where our burgeoning partnership would go.

Spoiler: A/N:

Just gonna drop this here, nothing to worry about from this team up… for now. Also, I really like the idea of Relicanth being Sada's pre-Paradox Pokemon, just like Proygon Z was Turo's.

Let me know what you thought of this down below or on the Discord. And if you're enjoying my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons:

Thank you to my 40 Beginner Tier Patreons for the support and an extra special shout out to RageLord and Nodal_Gravity, my Ace Tier Patreons!

Medali is a city. One of the ones of all time, I thought to myself as I walked through its streets. There was certainly nothing wrong with it - it had a decent amount of shops selling average wares, some nice but not overly fancy restaurants, plenty of residences… but little that made it stand out, especially compared to how dramatic many of the key cities of Paldea were. The interesting history of Levincia, the powerful architecture of Cascarrafa, or the stand-out nearby geography of Alfornada.

I could picture why Medali was where it was from a historical standpoint fairly easily. It was elevated, with Glaseado Mountain just nearby enough to serve as a natural barrier to inclement weather or invading forces. There was an easy path running down west to Porto Marinada for trade and ocean travel, while the elevation again made assaults difficult from that route. With the Aseado Desert to the south and the Great Crater to the east, Medali had a bounty of resources at its disposal, with plenty of rich, fertile land (if not nearly as flat and good for farming as the plains near Cortondo).

Was it the history of the city that made it so plain, or is this Larry's influence? ... Likely both, to a degree that would be impossible to determine exactly. It had some interesting spots, of course. Like every city, there were a few tourist attractions, food stalls and carts, and small stores like a nearby tech shop, but nothing that could keep my eye from the prize. The Treasure Eatery.

I opened the sliding wooden door to the restaurant- only to jump back as someone came at me! And it was clear that he was indeed coming at me, a larger boy dressed in Uva Academy uniform stomping out of the restaurant flanked by two others. The lead had short blond hair and was glaring daggers at me. The other two weren't much better, hands on their Pokeballs as they eyed me up. Like Malfoy and his goons, except I remember Malfoy being the skinny one and Crabbe and Goyle bulkier, while these three have it reversed. Man, it's been a long time since I read Harry Potter; that's another thing I should look into writing for this world.

"It's really her. Good job spotting her, Dominic," One of the goons said to the other, giving him a low five while brushing off some crumbs that had stuck to his uniform in their rush to get to me. Great, so even if they were unsure of my identity, they were more than willing to push over a little girl just to get at me. All for their stupid vendetta - why do these guys hate me again?

Despite my thoughts wandering, my gaze remained razor focused on the three confronting me. "What's the issue here?"

The lead boy sneered. "The issue is some brat who thinks she can get away with stealing all the badges."

"What?" I couldn't help but say, I was so perplexed. What is he even talking about?

"Some brat like you getting all the badges in one Treasure Hunt? That's impossible! I've only gotten six, and this is my second hunt. So you must be cheating! But we're going to put a stop to that; no way you're getting your final badge on our watch! We're gonna beat you down and send you running home, crying to your rich mommy and daddy."

I blinked. "It's amazing… Every word you just said was wrong." Predictably, my words didn't calm him down but instead made the boy grow redder in the face. "Also, you're trying to stop me from 'cheating' by ganging up on me and attacking me all at once? Where's the logic behind that?"

"Shut up!" Wow, great comeback, 10/10, I'm emotionally slain. My sarcastic thoughts didn't help me come up with a way to defuse the situation. Or even get me out of it, which is what I was willing to settle for at this point, too tired to try and spend my time and effort trying to placate the angry boy.

Attempting to move around them had them moving to block me again. I took a defensive stance in response, wary of them trying to encircle me and commit violence. My martial arts skills helped, but there was only so much one could do against multiple combatants at once, especially when they were bigger than you.

The lead boy took a step towards me, but at this point Miles floated up from my pocket, interposing themselves between us and buzzing dangerously. "I recommend you leave, now, bzzt."

They backed up a step but didn't entirely lose their bravado. If anything, the lead bully was emboldened, taunting me even as his eyes darted around. "This little toy supposed to worry us? Shove off," he tried to swipe Miles aside only to receive a nasty shock as his hand came close to the case. "Yow! What the heck was that? You can't command a Pokemon to attack someone!"

"You tried to hit my Pokemon, you don't get to complain about Miles defending themself." That was hardly an attack, too. Miles is possibly my second strongest Pokemon, maybe tied with Athena. If they wanted to attack you even moderately, you'd be lying on the ground, twitching, at best.

The other two released their Pokemon, a Spidops and Tinkatuff, quickly followed by the main dude releasing a Quaxwell. Seriously? Not even fully evolved for most of them. To be fair, maybe they're just happy at the second stage, but I'm kinda done being fair with these jerks. "Calm Fury, blitzkrieg."

At my command, Athena and Phantasm popped out of their Pokeballs, not wasting a second to rush the Pokemon in front of them, with Miles abandoning their phone case and charging as well. The Uva students didn't even have a chance to shout out any commands before it was over: the Quaxwell blasted with a powerful Thunderbolt, Lokix covered in a cloud of cartoon violence courtesy of Phantasm's recently mastered Play Rough, and Tinkatuff knocked aside by a localized Earthquake that only barely knocked the three bullies on their asses. Good job, they spotted the Type Weaknesses and struck them quickly, without any advice needed on my end.

"Has that satisfied you?" I asked rhetorically as I stepped over them. Apparently not, as the blond boy grabbed my leg as I tried to step past him. "Wha- let go!" As I turned to shake him off, I saw even more students entering the street, a half dozen or so new faces glaring at me.

"We told our buddies about you; no way we're getting shown up by a little girl getting all her badges in a single Treasure Hunt!" Ok, so they aren't even bothering with pretending anymore - this is just jealousy, not disbelief.

It looked like they were itching for a fight, and part of me was tempted to give them more than just that. Miles could Hyper Voice and blast them away in a second. Phantasm could do the same but possibly even conceal it from all the civilians that were gathered around watching our dispute.

I don't think they even realize why I'm trying to get into the Eatery… oh. Yeah, that would solve it. Raising my voice, I shouted inside, "Larry! We have a problem!"

There was a shuffling sound inside, and slowly the Gym Leader stepped into view. He was wearing the same black suit with a blue tie that he had in the games, even the same briefcase. The only differences were a few less gray streaks in his hair and the few grains of rice stuck to the corner of his lips, likely from a meal he'd been forced to hastily abandon.

"Mm, what's going on here?" His question predictably led to a cavalcade of noise, accusations, and arguments as the kids talked all over themselves trying to blame me. I waited patiently - as much as I wished to shout them down and deny what they were saying, I figured Larry would appreciate it more if I spoke calmly.

He said, "Quiet," in a voice slightly quieter than any of the other kids individually were, which did nothing to deter most of them (though it did at least get the one boy to stop grabbing my leg, though that might have been because he and his buddies were pulling themselves up). Then, Larry adjusted his tie. "Quiet." His voice was only slightly louder than the combined din this time, but it got everyone to stop talking (at least among the students; Phantasm was snarling at them still, saying things that were the equivalent of some really nasty words, but so long as she wasn't physically attacking them, I was fine with it).

Turning to me, he asked, "What happened?"

"I was accosted by some boys when I tried to enter the building. They threatened me-" That had the boys clamor over top of me, so I spoke louder. "Which you can see on video," I gestured to Miles, who floated over and expanded to better show the video they'd been taking. That shut them up, and they paled before turning tail and running away.

The other kids jeered, both at the trio and at me, but slowly they dispersed too. Some of them looked like they were seconds away from pissing their pants too. I wonder what Phantasm showed them? Internally I debated whether or not I should scold her for that - it was probably too far for most people who insulted me, but on the other hand, I couldn't really get upset about a couple of bullies getting some comeuppance.

Ultimately I pushed the decision to the side as I saw Larry sigh and turn back to the Eatery. Recalling my Pokemon and following him, I sat at the bar beside the man. Surprising me, he spoke up first. "You should try a drop of lemon on your food. Adds a refreshing kick, though you might be a bit young for that."

I smiled. "I like a bit of lemon on crab, lobster, and other seafood, but generally not a fan of it on other dishes. But that just might be me; I have very particular tastes." There was a beat, and then I added, "I'm sorry that we interrupted your meal, but I'd like-"

"A Gym Battle? I figured as much," he said, standing up with one last forlorn look at his fried rice. "I can't spend too much time chit-chatting, so I guess we'd better battle." As he said that, one of the chefs behind the counter pressed a button, and the dining tables shifted, everything getting shoved to the side to make room for the arena rising up in the center.

"Ah, wow." That looks cool, but I have to wonder how practical it is. "You know you don't have to interrupt your meal - you could have finished it first."

The Gym Leader shook his head. "I'd rather not fight on a full stomach."

"Fair enough," I said as I took my place on the opposite end of the arena. "And I'm looking forward to a tough fight; I've saved the strongest Gym Leader for last, so give it all you've got!"

He blinked. "You're full of fire. You really think I'm the strongest? I'm not cool like Grusha or flashy-"

"That might hurt your score in a Contest, but when it comes to battling? Yeah, you're strong. Probably could be a member of the Elite Four if you wanted." There were a few quiet gasps from the crowd; clearly the people here loved him, but I didn't think even they realized how skilled Larry was.

Definitely don't think the few students I spy sneaking in did. It was only a couple of them, and they had changed out of their uniforms, but I recognized the teenagers intently watching the match. So long as they were focused on simply recording it and didn't try to interfere, I was fine with it. Who knows? Maybe I'll even win some detractors over if they see me battling in person. None of these were the kids directly confronting me, so if they were just caught up in the trio's lies, this might prove them wrong.

My words didn't cheer the man himself up, rather eliciting a deep sigh from him. "Please don't tell my boss - I already work enough." Pretty sure that's your own fault; you get cut off from doing too much overtime. Despite his words, I saw a determined glint in his eyes. He was ready to take me seriously.

As Larry drew a Pokeball from his briefcase, I hefted the washing machine out of my bag, tossing it onto the stage. "Miles, you're up!" They zipped from their phone case and into the bulky machine, possessing it.

"Ro-to-to-to!" They declared excitedly. The Gym Leader glanced at his briefcase for a second, likely deciding whether or not to switch before firming up his grip on his chosen Pokeball. Hmm, sticking to his guns, or, more likely, he feels his first choice just happens to be the best against Miles.

It was hard to tell - Normal Types had such wide Movepools there was little I could be certain of against him, as well as why I'd chosen Wash Form for Miles. Without an appliance, Miles would be immune to his STAB Normal Moves, but they would have way more Weaknesses. Just having one seems like the best way to go about things.

As he released a sleepy-looking, blue-furred, koala-like Pokemon hugging onto a log like a pillow, I understood both why Larry had chosen her and why he thought she would still be a solid choice against us.

The chef spoke up from the bar. "This will be a six-on-six match with three switches each. Terastalization is allowed. If both Trainers are ready…" We both nodded, Larry pulling his tie loose again, a physical tic for when he was getting more serious, I noted. "Then on the count of three, two, one… begin!" She shouted, and we both leapt into action.

"Scald!"

"Wood Hammer."

With a sudden leap from a still sleeping Pokemon, his Komala raised the log up, surrounding it with green Grass Energy. Before she could bring it down upon Miles' body, they raised the smaller hose and blasted her out of the air with a high-pressure, high-heat burst of water.

Like I thought, Wood Hammer. Komalas have a surprising amount of physical power behind them; if that hit, it could have done serious damage to Miles. The weird way Comatose works protects Komalas from most status Moves I could pull out, and I'm certain that this one knows Sleep Talk and can use it quite well. Some Pokemon simply resonated with certain Moves, like Primeapes with Rage or Hypno with Hypnosis, which made them (on average) better with the Moves than most equivalent Pokemon even of the same type. The exact amount was widely debated, but there was a noticeable bump up to be aware of, especially in high-level battles.

"Substitute, keep on with Scald," I ordered. Nasty Plot would be better here, but I don't think Larry will give us that wide a window to work with. Miles began making copies of themself while the Komala let out a large Yawn, the cloud drifting around in an attempt to envelop my Pokemon.

The Substitute couldn't take the hit for such a Move, the cloud doing nothing when it enveloped them, but also not impeding it as it then floated on towards the real deal. "Condensation," I called out, and Miles adjusted their hose, spraying a fine mist through the air that clashed with the Yawn. Glad we kept that feature - we never got to making a Mist or Haze equivalent, but that nozzle was more practical than I first realized.

While there were a lot of good reasons to use Miles for this match, being able to show off the advancements the R&D team had made on the Wash Form, probably their biggest recent achievements beyond the two new forms, also factored in my mind, so I was glad to show them off. But why are the Scalds doing so little- shit.

Before my eyes, all the damage Miles had done was healed, the Komala recovering even as another Scald hit and hurt our opponent far more than the last few shots had. Stockpile, combined with Swallow, must be. He's trained his Komala well to be able to do that without a command or any visible sign.

"Nasty Plot," I said, signalling for Miles to use their Substitute to guard themself. And a good thing I did, as the moment my Rotom stopped to hatch a malicious scheme, Komala spun rapidly towards them, holding their log out as they twirled through the air… while still asleep. She smashed through the fake, but the destruction of the Substitute gave Miles time to maneuver away, powered up.

Before I could press the advantage, Larry called out, "Psych up." Komala furrowed her white eyebrows at Miles all while still keeping her eyes shut. Not sure how that works, but I can't count on beating them with buffs if they can copy what I do. So…

"Dance, water, dance." Miles conjured a sitar made of water and began rocking out with their plasmic hands. The absurdity of it combined with the sudden wave of sound hitting them left both of them off guard.

"Body Slam." Only for a moment, however, as Larry quickly recovered. Despite the name's inspiration, Miles could only create two Double Teams 'water clones' with it, not the hundreds of Substitutes I had first envisioned. They were more than capable of moving as they rocked out, letting Miles dance around the wide Body Slam Komala aimed at them.

As the last note fell, water began to pour down and sparked with lingering lightning on the ground. The field lit up with electricity, crackling wildly with the rain. It might not have worked exactly like I envisioned, but it had even greater synergy than I expected with Electric Terrain. "Pretty cool, right?"

A howling screech answered my question; the Komala glared at Rotom with her beady eyes. The Terrain, caused her to wake up, and the moment her eyelids would droop back down, a new shock would force her awake.

"You shouldn't have done that," the Gym Leader warned, giving me a split second to wonder why before Komala threw herself at Miles, enraged. Thrashing about, she smacked them around, pushing through a powerful Discharge as she shrieked at my Rotom.

Damn, I didn't realize this would make her so angry. But we can use that. "Hydro Pump, play keep away." Opening the door on their body, Miles unleashed torrents of water, blasting Komala with a literal ton of water. She struggled to push through the assault, but Miles didn't let up, continuing to pour gallons of water at her.

I heard her gulp this time, now that I was paying attention to it, and it let her survive for a little longer. It couldn't get her out of the corner she'd been pushed back into or allow her to outlast Miles; the water kept on coming. It's kind of crazy to think of how a Pokemon can summon a weather condition and then use that very weather to empower their future attacks. Same with terrain and the like. Just goes to show how thermodynamics really doesn't work the same way here.

Sighing loudly, Larry called for a switch, returning Komala to him. "Impressive. But you've still got your work cut out for you…" With that, he released a large, beige, bull-esque Pokemon onto the field. Upon materializing, the Kantoan Tauros immediately charged ahead, glowing with a bright power before he struck Miles, smashing them into the wall with a horrendous sound of wrenching metal.

"Discharge! Get out of there!" Miles let out a burst of electricity that stunned the Tauros enough to give them space to float away, out of Raging Bull range. The moment they did, though, they started wobbling mid-air, as if Miles was having trouble staying up, their eyes slowly closing…

"Get on the ground!" How did Komala sneak a Yawn in?! Whatever the case, landing on the electrified ground woke Miles up in a hurry, but it also left them vulnerable.

"Earthquake," Larry intoned, and Tauros gladly stomped the ground, shaking up the arena. My Pokemon knew how to nullify their Ability, letting them benefit from the Terrain, but at the same time, it left Miles vulnerable to the Ground Type Move when they did so.

The Earthquake hit them hard, and Miles' body clanged hard from the floor, smashing into them. Their washing machine door hung open loosely by the time they floated out of range of the Ground attack, Tauros snorting, swishing his three knotted tails wildly.

"Stone Edge." At his Trainer's command, Tauros began ripping up chunks of stone from the ground with his horns, sending them spiking up towards Miles (really he just conjured them from the air; the arena floor was treated to synergize with such Type Energies to stop Pokemon from ripping the complex machinery apart, but it looked like the ground was being torn apart, if only superficially).

"Dodge around this; you aren't out yet! Hydro Pump!" Miles was battered but indeed still in it, weaving around the sharp rocks looking to impale them and firing back with powerful streams of water. Several of them broke straight through the rocks to impact the Tauros, and I could only look on with pride. This must be the toughest fight you've had in a while, and you're doing great, Miles.

The rain and electricity finally stopped, and we both took a second to rethink our strategies. The moment of silence between us ended, and I suddenly knew; something about the look in his eyes... He's looking to end this fast. "Protect!!"

At the same moment Larry spoke loudly, "Giga Impact." Rocketing forward, covered in a bright green energy, Tauros leapt up, slamming into the barrier Miles had conjured around them. A massive shockwave reverberated out from the point of impact, but despite the force behind the blow, my Pokemon's barrier held until the energy surrounding Tauros petered out.

"Shock Wave!" I shouted, and Miles let off a quick burst of electricity into Tauros before Larry could recall them. The bit of chip damage they did would help me in the later rounds, but for the time being, Miles had a new foe to face.

"Oink!" The female Oinkologne cried as she was released onto the field. Neither of our Pokemon wasted any time attacking. Miles called down a Thunder atop her head, shocking her enough that I thought for an instant she might have been Paralyzed, a debilitation great enough that it might let us win the fight.

But she proved me wrong, powering through it as her hooves glowed with green light, performing a Trailblaze leap to plow into Miles. Using her increased speed, she Headbutted Miles to keep them down, with a Body Slam to pressure my Pokemon further.

"Scald!" At my command, Miles released the blistering hot water at her, hurting and even Burning Larry's Pokemon, weakening the force of her blows. They might have been able to escape until Larry spoke up.

"Real life isn't always about being true to yourself…" On his signal, Oinkologne revealed her Facade, striking hard despite the Burn, and finally knocked Miles out. Recalling my first Pokemon, I shook my head.

"Real life is all about being true to yourself. In this world we live in, full of impossible wonders, the idea that you can't live the way you want sounds crazy! It might take a lot of hard work, might feel like you're fighting Arceus themself sometimes, but you gotta give it your all, and the only way to do that is to be your all!" I finished my impromptu speech by drawing Phantasm's Pokeball off my belt. "Let's show Larry what that's all about, Athena. I choose you!"

Tossing the ball up high (too high - it almost hit the rafters!), it opened to send out 'Athena,' who crossed her forepaws as she landed on the field, smirking at her foe. Oi. Tone it down a little; she's not that cocky. Well, at least not openly like that.

Phantasm could not hear my thoughts or emotions, but she did drop that expression to go into battle mode. "Extreme Speed!" Sorry, but not using this Move would look weird; we gotta sell it for the moment.

I knew my Zoroark was more than a little salty about no longer being faster than Athena after she evolved. I'd put her through speed drills, and over time, Phantasm had gotten close to Athena's level. She actually beat the Aura Pokemon in sheer speed and power while also being a bit frailer too. But only for regular speed - Extreme Speed was a Move the Hisuian Pokemon couldn't manage and Athena could do easily. Even if the Typing meant it couldn't hurt her, Phantasm didn't like the fact that she couldn't do that Move. But we'd come up with a trick to fake it, at least for battles like this.

An image of Athena blurred into existence behind Oinkologne, causing her to whip around, only for it to disappear and reappear on the other side, striking into her. Really, Phantasm had just moved in a straight line with Quick Attack, all while conjuring the illusions to make it look like Athena had clowned on her a bit, the STAB from the weaker Move making it seem comparable to an Extreme Speed.

In spite of that, I saw her narrow her eyes in confusion and suspicion after getting nailed by the Move and knew I needed to end this fast, before Larry caught on. "Get ready," I called out, the seemingly useless command another signal. Phantasm began readying herself, drawing her focus in.

So seemingly close to her, Oinkologne jumped up, looking to land on 'Athena' with a Body Press. Mid-air, however, her Trainer called out for something different.

"Earthquake." His Pokemon converted to the different Type Energy and Move smoothly, using the force of the impact against the ground as 'Athena' dodged to send a ripple out through the ground, rolling across the arena.

The motion disrupted the Focus Punch Phantasm had been gathering, causing the strike to merely clip off the Oinkologne's back. My Pokemon was then knocked back by the waves, hurt, and revealed by the Earthquake.

Oinkologne was knocked to the side, getting up on shaky legs after being hit by the Fighting Type Move. That burn isn't helping her either. Honestly, it's surprising that she's lasted this long, though she might have been hiding a Sitrus Berry in her mouth.

"Shadow Clones, then Swift Barrage." An adaptation of 'Shadow Barrage,' but that one specifically means for her to use Shadow Ball after making the Double Teams/illusory copies, which won't work against a fellow Normal Type.

Oinkologne's eyes darted about as a hundred Phantasms suddenly filled the arena, pelting small glowing stars at the pig Pokemon. The shots were chipping away at her bit by bit, and rapidly at that, given Phantasm's sheer power. Larry once again stepped in, calling, "Use your nose. Sniff her out."

Not going to happen! While we had covered some olfactory illusions and the like, I knew that the Oinkologne line was particularly sensitive to certain scents and that Phantasm wasn't familiar with how to disguise herself from her. Luckily, there was a far easier option. "Sensory Overload!"

As Larry's Pokemon took a big sniff, she suddenly squealed and began thrashing about, seemingly going crazy. In truth, Phantasm had simply hit her with a myriad of illusory sensations. Flashing bright lights, piercing sounds, pungent rotten scents, and mouth-curdling tastes all hit her at once. It was a testament to her training that she could still stand up, but a quick Slash took care of that, and Oinkologne collapsed.

"I appreciate you trying to make sure I don't have to take any overtime with this battle, but I can't be slacking off either." At his words (and the click of a Pokeball), a bright pink flamingo stepped onto the still slightly waterlogged arena. Okay, technically it's a Flamigo, not a Flamingo. He has a knot at the base of his neck, and… yeah, that's pretty much it. Generally the designs for Gen 9 were pretty creative, but this one… The one thing that made it really stand out from a mundane animal was the Black Belt it was wearing, and that was hardly an intrinsic part of the bird.

Internal snarking aside, I was impressed by his choice. So much so that I immediately called, "Switch," and recalled Phantasm. Super-Effective STAB Fighting attacks are something she hasn't ever experienced before and something I'd rather not subject her to. Honestly, he's a pretty good counter to most of my team.

Most wasn't all, however, so I didn't pause in tossing Nightwing's Pokeball over the arena. "Nightwing, hit 'em hard and fast!" Cackling, my purple Flying Type shot forward to clash with Larry's own. The Flamigo met the charge, hopping forwards and drawing his wings out for a Brave Bird.

The two crossed, flying to the opposite ends of the arena. Nightwing winced as she turned around, nursing the spot where her exoskeleton was cracked from the blow Flamigo had landed. For his part, Flamigo looked just as badly hurt from the recoil and the small dark purple spot on his torso where Poison Jab hit. Not sure if it would have been better or worse if we had gotten a Poison off - it would help us in drawing things out even more, but Larry probably has Facade on all of his Pokemon.

""Swords Dance,"" we both called out simultaneously. The Gym Leader blinked in surprise while I gave a bemused smile. Great minds think alike, huh? Or rather, we're going for different game plans here - he thinks he can win fast and neutralize the grind game Toxic Orb is about to give us, while I'm planning for the future. The round, purple-colored stone around Nightwing's neck hadn't Poisoned her yet. And it never would.

"Tailwind, pick up some speed." Nightwing flapped her large bat-like wings furiously, kicking up the air around her, while Larry's Pokemon went on the offensive.

With some unspoken signal from him, Flamigo covered himself in water and shot forward. Nightwing did her best to dodge but was still clipped by the Super-Effective Liquidation. She had practiced enough not to let up on a buffing Move even while hit and still managed to set up the Tailwind, the opposing airstream impairing the enemy Flying Type even more than it would most others.

With the speed advantage firmly on our side, I shouted, "Acrobatics!" Nightwing zipped above Flamigo before flipping around and smacking him with the flat of her tail. At the same time, the gem she was holding glowed brightly, empowering the Flying-Type Move and shattering into dust. Coloring a very specifically shaped Flying Gem is a fun trick. Shame I won't be able to catch anyone in the Elite Four off-guard with it now, but I think it's worth it to help secure the win here. Besides, we've got plenty of other strategies for them.

Despite the powerful blow that sent Flamigo sprawling, he wasn't quite out of the fight. A sloppy Mega Kick was casually dodged by my Gliscor before her long tail wrapped around his legs, constricting them. "Psychic F-" I began to call before a red beam of light returned his Pokemon.

At my questioning glance, Larry clarified, "I'm withdrawing my Pokemon." Hmm, guess it would be too much to hope that he'd use his last Switch up here. "Break time is over, Komala." His blue furry Pokemon once again landed sleepily on the field. No, actually, Asleep - she used Rest instantly!

"Acrobatics into Earthquake!" As Nightwing dived down, Larry mumbled something indistinct, which somehow led to Komala rearing up and smacking a shocked Nightwing in the face with her log before spinning around and landing back on it, asleep all the while.

The Sleep Talk into Sucker Punch stopped Nightwing's Acrobatics, but she still smashed the ground with both pincers, raising a powerful Earthquake that caused Komala to twitch in her slumber as she was buffeted by the attack. Before I could tell her to pull back, she also attempted to hit Komala with a Crabhammer.

Our foe responded with a Wood Hammer, flinging the log into Nightwing's face. Both Pokemon reeled back from the blows. "Get out of range, Gunk Shot to finish her off." Nightwing clicked her tongue but did so. She's not appreciating the strength that Pokemon has - she might look weak, but she's a major threat. Especially since I think she snuck in a Psyche Up somewhere there and copied Nightwing's Swords Dance boost.

The Tailwind had died down, but we still had the speed advantage in this fight. Gunk Shot forced Nightwing close to the ground to 'pull' the ball of garbage she'd knocked forward from the ground, but with her tail, my Pokemon could lower her profile and fly away if Komala got close. Our opponent attempted to, bounding towards Nightwing as quickly as she could, knocking aside her reclaimed log, but eventually one of the shots snuck through, striking her down. Before she fell, however, Komala managed to release a Yawn straight into Nightwing's face.

I waited as Larry recalled his Pokemon, waiting for him to send out his next, but he didn't. Simply standing there, watching as drowsiness was taking a greater hold of Nightwing. She was struggling valiantly to stay awake, but I could recognize a losing battle when I saw it and used my penultimate Switch, recalling her. Larry's got a full twenty seconds to choose his next Pokemon - we can't wait that long. And letting her go to sleep would be very bad; Larry would have free rein to set up.

Of course, now that I had twenty seconds that started well after Larry's time period, he had to release his Pokemon first. With a sigh, he sent out his own Dudunsparce.

"Well, I can hardly let a challenge like that go unanswered, can I? Go, Dun!"

With a cry of "Dudun!" My starter took the field. The crowd gave shocked gasps, and I wondered why. Seriously, his Dudunsparce is almost as famous as his Staraptor Ace, and Dun is my starter. Feels kinda obvious we'd clash like this. Though I admit I'm excited as well to see how this will go. The two Pokemon eyed each other up for a second, Dun smirking as he slithered slightly, showing off his extra segment. The other Dudunsparce simply took in a large breath and-

I grit my teeth, the sound from the Boomburst still ringing in spite of the barrier between us. "Glare!" I shouted, only for my words to have no effect, Dun thrashing and deafened by the noisy attack. Instantly switching to hand signs, I gave the command again, and this time he hit the enemy Normal Type with an enraged stare that had his foe freezing up.

"Glare," Larry called out, and his Dudunsparce rose up, revealing the swirling pattern on his belly. Before the pattern could begin glowing so he could do the Move, a sweep of my hand had Dun Lunging forward, striking the two-segmented one low. The blow did good damage but also sapped some of the physical power our opponent could bring to bear.

It took me a while to realize that the way Dunsparces normally uses Glare is by revealing that symbol. I'm thankful for the way we figured it out - that exchange right there showed the weakness of the 'regular' method, being slower and exposing yourself.

I winced, more so for Dun than myself, as another Boomburst hit him. Dun let out a loud cry of his own, but his Hyper Voice simply lacked the sheer power that Boomburst had. That's a Move he's been trying to learn for a while but having difficulties with. We can't focus on that right now, though; let's play to Dun's strengths.

Despite his personal feelings, Dun snapped to follow my orders as I motioned for him to use Roost. Settling down, he let the sound batter him, healing each time. Despite how well trained he was at the recovery Move, the sheer damage of Boomburst made it hard to keep up. Luckily the sporadic seizing of the opposing Dudunsparce's muscles gave Dun breaks and ample time to recover in between.

As the exchange continued, I noticed the Gym Leader's Pokemon starting to flag, his strength waning. Larry did too, being the first one to order a change in tactics. "Drill Rush, get in close."

"Aqua Tail." Larry's Dudunsparce was fairly speedy for his species, but Paralyzed as he was, Dun was able to easily time the hit, sweeping our foe to the side and only taking a few chunks of dirt smacking into him. "Hurricane, take this to the skies!"

With wingbeats far too powerful for their tiny size, Dun churned the air inside the arena into a tumultuous storm, lifting the other Dudunsparce up into the air. I saw them trying to draw in breath for another Boomburst, but the violent winds made that difficult.

"Turn up the heat, Flamethrower! And chuck some stones into the mix too while you're at it." Despite the casualness of my tone, I was worried. Balancing three strong Moves of different Types is remarkably tricky, even for-

Those fears were unfounded as Dun belched forth a stream of fire, igniting the air he was whipping up with his wings. At the back, his tail waved about like a conductor's wand, adding a minefield of sharp rocks to the flaming tornado.

It was hard to see what was going on inside, but it seemed likely that Larry's Dudunsparce was getting badly cooked by that. The Gym Leader certainly wanted them out of there, shouting, "Dragon Rush!"

That gave me time to counter. "Dance around it, then show him real Dragon power!" As the Dudunsparce burst out of the flames looking like a snake out of hell (and giving me great inspiration for my next album cover), Dun slithered back and forth, weaving around the Dragon-infused charge handily before covering himself in Draconic energy.

He thrashed and slammed about, knocking the smaller Dudunsparce aside with his power and bulk. As Larry's Pokemon tried to retreat, the man must have realized he couldn't back away from the rampage fast enough and switched back to offense. "Hyper Drill!"

Our foe turned tail, pointing that heavy drill at Dun and burrowing into him. Dun hissed in rage as scales were burrowed out, but with his flexible body, he reached around and kept on bashing the other Pokemon away. Eventually, they were knocked aside, heavily bruised, but Dun wasn't looking too hot either, bleeding from the drill wound. My Pokemon also swayed slightly, looking confused at everything around.

Singing out a sharp note, Dun snapped back into focus. Don't know if it's cheating to mimic a Yellow Flute like that, but there's nothing I've found that says you can't do that, so…

"Giga Impact, end this!" My command brought a wave of surprise and murmurs from the crowd.

As I said that, Larry had already been raising his voice to call for "Boomburst." His Dudunsparce swelled up with air, releasing it as an incredible cacophony of noise. Dun met it head-on, glowing with a bright green energy. He winced from the pain in a blink-and-miss-it moment but held the course, tackling into his foe, the impact creating a sonic boom of its own as he hit Larry's Pokemon and sent them into the barrier.

The combined force of the concentrated impact and the overall strain placed on the barrier from the Boomburst striking all around shattered the barrier, causing it to collapse as Larry's Dudunsparce fell toward his feet. Despite his tired facade, Larry reacted with lightning speed to recall his Pokemon after seeing the Dudunsparce was taken out.

After that, he paused, simply staring at his Pokeball. What are you doing, Larry? Dun is tired out from that big Move, this would be the perfect time to strike back with your next Pokemon. The Gym Leader sighed heavily and, without raising his eyes, said, "You're as good as they all say. I might end up losing this."

"Like heck you will!" The chef/referee shouted, shocking the businessman. "You've got a whole crowd gathered to see what you can do; show us that spark that makes you a Gym Leader!"

"Yeah!"

"You can do it!"

"Take that brat down!"

"We believe in you, Larry!"

The faintest smile ghosted his face. "Well, you heard the folks. I guess I can put a bit more effort in when it's crunch time." With that, he put his Dudunsparce's Pokeball back in the case and threw out another one. Flying high above the ground, a Staraptor appeared, the large brown bird cawwing loudly, raising his red-tipped mohawk-like crown to stare daggers at Dun.

Despite how bravely my Starter was willing to stand his ground, that opening Intimidation, the instinctual fear of such a big bird, had him tense up, his muscles weakening. "Switch," I used up my last Switch to put Athena on the field, my Lucario looking up coolly at the bird flying above.

Before I could order her to attack, Larry used up his last Switch, recalling Staraptor and sending his Tauros out, the bull-like Pokemon stomping the ground aggressively. Guess this was his last chance to use that anyways. And if he's sending them out, then he must be planning on utilizing Athena's Steel Type Weaknesses.

I was pulling out my Tera Orb already as Larry called out for an "Earthquake." Before the shaking earth reached Athena, the Tera Orb was already above her head, Terastalizing her so that when she broke out of the giant crystal conjured around her, she was barely scuffed by the attack. The swirling fist, Tera 'hat' jewel, shone brightly above her as she bared her teeth for a second before disappearing and reappearing in front of him, digging a fist into the Tauros' flank with Extreme Speed.

Mega Evolution gives a few more advantages in terms of power, with the Ability change and stat boosts, but being able to switch up the Steel Typing, and thus all the weaknesses she'd usually have, is a nice trick too. "Close Combat, beat him up!" At my command, Athena overwhelmed the Gym Leader's Pokemon, punching and kicking all around him.

"Raging Bull!" The sudden acceleration hit Athena hard as Tauros charged ahead headlessly, tossing her aside with his horns, but she recovered well, landing lightly back on the arena.

"Aura Spheres, play keep away." Charging up giant orbs of Fighting Type power, so large that they obscured her vision, she started tossing them out at the Tauros. He tried to dodge, jumping around with great agility in spite of the beating he had taken, but it wasn't enough. Especially not when she can track him with her Aura Sense and can slightly alter the path of the spheres mid-flight. In the end, she didn't even need to use Extreme Speed to dodge around before Tauros fell and couldn't get back up.

Larry wordlessly recalled Tauros and sent Staraptor back out. His steely gaze was much less effective on Athena, however, her Inner Focus letting her ignore such attempts to shake her. "Brave Bird," he called, and I smiled.

"Dancing Sword." Athena was in sync enough with me to begin the first step of her dance before I had even spoken, dancing seemingly carelessly around as the big bird careened towards her, yet managing to dance just under the wide wingspan, powering up as she did so. "Force Palm!"

My Pokemon struck out, landing a quick hit before Staraptor could scamper away, flying above her once more. Larry looked on silently for a moment before calling out "Brave Bird" again and coughing hard until he was doubled over. Obviously a signal, but for what?

I wasn't sure, but my Lucario prepared another Dancing Sword, only to be struck still as suddenly two Staraptors were diving at her. "Detect!" I shouted, but it was too late, and as she tried to avoid one, the other one - the real one - hit her, knocking Athena off her feet. The illusory copy faded away as it 'hit' the ground. Double Team combined with Brave Bird, not bad. Staraptor followed it up by creating a few more Double Team copies of itself as it ascended once more.

"Focus on your other senses; it's just like fighting Phantasm," I advised, and Athena nodded, closing her eyes. "Good, now Flash Cannons!" Raising her arms out, she sent out beams of bright light, cutting across the airspace of the arena.

Staraptor dived and swooped around - all of them did, but it was clear the real one was being pressed back hard - before Larry said, "Feather Attack." At that command I finally tracked onto the real one with my eyes as he flew towards her. It wasn't the reckless descent of a Brave Bird, but a nonetheless strong Wing Attack smacked into Athena as she redirected a Flash Cannon to impact her foe, knocking a wing aside and blasting loose a bunch of feathers, which floated down unerringly onto my Pokemon.

"Feather Dance?" I commented on the combined Move. "Fine by me - hound him with Extreme Speed but strike with Force Whip from now on." Having a mixed attacker helps with those kinds of debuffs, I noted as Athena adapted to the new strategy. She'd blur behind the Staraptor, keeping enough space that he couldn't turn and hit her before she lashed out with the Aura construct, striking across his back before disappearing in another burst of speed.

More than that, she's basically performing a 'Geppo' from One Piece, using Aura combined with her physical strength to jump off the air- oh no. The weakening of her limbs from Feather Dance left a slight lag as Athena exerted herself harder to keep in the air, an opportunity Staraptor exploited, Endeavoring to twist around and knock her down.

As she fell, Athena had the presence of mind to whip Staraptor one last time, this blow striking at just the right point to cause his body to seize up. Paralysis! Nice. That thought didn't last long however, as Larry tossed his own Tera Orb above his Staraptor. "Just a little bit longer till the shift is over, so give it your best Facade!"

The transformation gave his Ace enough control back that when Staraptor broke out of the crystallization, they moved relatively freely (while still clearly under Paralysis) to smash into Athena. The unexpectedly powerful blow got a gasp, then a groan, from her as the Terastalization around her shattered.

"Larry! Larry! Larry!" The crowd started cheering uproariously for him. The Gym Leader blinked, unused to such praise. Or at least being so vocal about it; I don't doubt that everyone here likes him, but this restaurant has a quiet atmosphere to it.

"That was awesome, well-timed," I complimented him before recalling Athena. "And you did great too. Don't worry, it's time for your boyfriend to avenge you." I was sure if she were conscious, she would have angrily denied both that Dun was her boyfriend (despite how close the two of them had been getting), nor that she needed 'avenging' (which was kind of fair; after all the damage she'd done, Staraptor was looking to be on his last wings).

Dun looked fairly battered, bruised, and bloody, but I knew how deceptive that was in regard to how fit he was to battle. Something Dun made clear to everyone with an immediate Hyper Voice upon being released. Larry's Pokemon twisted back from the pain, his head twisting back in a way that felt like it should be unbalancing given the massive Tera 'jewel' above him, but didn't hinder the Staraptor at all.

Recovering, Staraptor dived down at Dun with a powerful Endeavor. The Paralysis made the Move much more devastating but couldn't prevent how much it still slowed the bird down, giving Dun and me time to react. And we've got plenty of power too. "Last Resort!"

With a star-shaped burst of energy, Dun shot up to meet the Gym Leader's Ace, the two colliding and then falling down. My Pokemon quickly righted himself, breathing hard but ready to carry on the fight. Staraptor, for his part, tried to do the same but squawked, one of his wings broken. Ouch, that's nasty, but a trip to the Pokemon Center and a few days' rest should take care of it.

Assuming he didn't fight further, which he didn't, as Larry recalled his Pokemon. He whispered some words of encouragement to the Pokeball his Ace was in as the chef/referee announced, "Larry has withdrawn his final Pokemon. Nemona Glitterati is the winner!"

Cheers went up from the crowd, and I ran forward to hug Dun. "We did it! You did it! Our eighth Gym victory!"

"Dun Dun! Sparce!" My starter cheered, happily rolling on top of me. Oof. And eww, this shirt is probably ruined from the blood on it. I couldn't be upset with Dun for that, still too happy about our victory. As Larry walked over to us, I managed to get Dun to roll off me, my Starter already Roosting to recover.

He held a hand out for me to shake before seeing the state of my own and slowly retracting it. "Congratulations. You did well."

"Thank you! You too. If you don't mind me asking, how did you get your Dudunsparce to use Boomburst? We've been trying for ages, and Dun has Hyper Voice down pat, but that Move just hasn't been clicking for us." I scratched the top of Dun's head, which he leaned into.

"Hmm, that Move is a bit tricky; it isn't like most sound-based attacks. It's less about the amount of noise than it is the sudden exhalation of air," the Gym Leader advised. "Try to get all of his segments and head working in concert, and you should be fine." There were general limits towards learning Moves if a Pokemon wasn't strong enough, but given our performance here, Dun's strength clearly wasn't in doubt.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I should get back to work…"

"Wait!" I called out as he started to turn away. "Just one last question: mind telling me why you didn't give me a Gym Trial?" I risked asking, now that the battle was won and my final Gym Badge was in hand.

Larry blinked slowly. "You… didn't? Usually the trial is to find clues scattered around town to find the Eatery, with directions to them placed by the League staff at the Gym Building."

Laughing, I said, "No, I actually skipped over it. A deep dive online determined it was your favorite place, and I knew I'd be arriving about lunchtime, so I figured it would be a safe bet to head there first to try this done fast."

He gave me a level look and said, "Don't push yourself too hard. Burnout is a real risk, no matter what task you take."

I stared incredulously at him. Really? With how perpetually tired you look, I hardly think you're the one to have anything to say about that. Rather than say that, I bit my tongue and thought about the words and the situation for a moment. Then again, maybe I should just take it as him speaking from experience.

"I… appreciate the advice. And it won't be much longer now, and I'll be able to really take a break. But for the moment, it's crunch time. Just gotta push through." Larry nodded and offered his hand, which I shook.

With this, I've completed the Gym Challenge. Next step, the Elite Four and Miguel. Then? Turo.

Spoiler: A/N:

Before writing this fic, I did not realize just how much time the game designers must have spent on each city. Each one is fascinating and quite distinct in their own ways, which will fit the land around them and can really make one think about how they work historically.

The scene with the bullies has been something I had in the background for a while, but Nemona's 'I'mma go and train in the wilderness for a month' schtick threw them off so that by the time there was an actual encounter with them, it didn't end up going how I thought it would.

Her experiences on the journey so far taught her not to put herself at unnecessary risk and that she could reach out to adults for help, so instead of her getting to flex her martial arts skills or fighting them in a fair Battle, we got this. Which might be less dramatic, but I feel it's truer to the story.

Larry might not be the flashiest, but I hope I was able to demonstrate that he's quite the skilled Gym Leader. Despite his perpetual tiredness, he's definitely the strongest Gym Leader in Paldea right now. Oberon and even Kofu, to a degree, are past their prime in terms of training and strength, and all the others are fairly new. I definitely considered having him still be an Elite Four with that in mind, but I have a funny OC that we haven't seen yet that I'm hopeful will make for a fun character and battle when we get to them.

Thank you all for reading, and if you liked it please leave a comment down below or on the Discord. And if you're enjoying my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter