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TEEN: - Ongoing Some Dreams: A Pokémon Sword Novel

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  1. She/Her
So. Yeah. I’m posting this fic on here now. It’s on a couple other sites, but I thought that it would be nice to have it here as well.

Content Warnings: Light Swearing

Description:

Abby's never known anything but her hometown, or had any big dreams. But when she gets her starter Pokémon from the champion himself, she gets a dream: beat him and become champion. Oh, yeah, and then there's the fact that she'll have to meet her childhood crush, a particular gym leader…

In other words, this is a novelization of Sword, with my OC as the protag and some other extras, including a weird sort-of romance subplot involving the aforementioned OC and Piers (my favorite gym leader in the franchise). Also, I headcanon Piers as 17 for the sake of this fic and my OC as 16, so no weird age gap stuff.

Let’s get on with the story.
Chapter One: Well, I Guess I’m A Trainer
My eyes skim the battle between Leon and Raihan on my phone as I attempt to brush my tumbleweed hair. It’s too dry, and I don’t have any water on hand. It fluffs out more with every tug of the brush, eventually leaving me looking like a Flareon. After trying to tame it, I pull it back into a loose ponytail like always, and I reach for my phone to see the final results. Leon won, obviously. Raihan’s too focused on utilizing weather effects over training to be well rounded. Leon’s battle style definitely has its flaws, though. Based on what I’ve seen combined with his stats, his style is a mix of brute force and cockiness. I’ve never seen cockiness play such a key role in battle style, and he hides it well, but there’s a distinct feel to it that tells me he thinks he’s invincible. Not raw cockiness, like Blue from Kanto, though.

“Abby! Hop’s ‘ere, an’ he wants you to hurry up an’ get down here!” My mum yells, probably from the kitchen. She loves cooking, and she’s really good at it. Most of the time, it goes to the Munchlax, because neither of us eat a lot. It’s a weird system that’s going to end with us having a Snorlax.

“I’m coming!” I call, sliding my varsity jacket over my shoulders. It’s worn out and scuffed, but that adds to my look of tired, probably angry sports girl. Mum would like me to wear the pink shirt dress and gray Wooloo wool cardigan my grandmother got me, but we both know that’s not going to happen. I dart out to the front door, grabbing Mum’s old bag on the way out the door.

“Abby! Today’s the day Lee’s coming! Come on, mate!” Hop greets, his eyes blazing in excitement. Before I can walk over to him, he’s already out the door. I dash out and quickly catch up to him, using my longer legs and generally more athletic muscles to my advantage. I’m somewhere over five inches taller than him for the time being, although he’s shorter than Mum, who’s 5’6 and a half. He’s probably closer to 5’6, even. I don’t know what to think anymore. I’m taller than Dad was.

I notice a Wooloo at the gate to the Slumbering Weald, trying to bust through. If the little guy knows what’s good for him, he’ll back off before he can even loosen a hinge. I turn back to the short path up to Hop’s house and pick up the pace.

“Sheesh, can’t you know when to quit? I always beat you,” I tease as he sprints to keep up. His tan face flushes red from his heavy breathing as I jump the fence to his yard. He goes through the gate instead while I leisurely stroll to his front door. He jogs up breathlessly and barges through his door, almost slamming into me on the way.

“Mum! Where’s Lee? Have you got him crammed in a cupboard?” Hop demands, glancing around his living room like a lunatic.

“He’s just arrived at the station in Wedgehurst. Oh, hello, Abby. Why don’t you two go get him?” Hop’s mum suggests, clearly tired of Hop’s insanity. She’s a very polite, well-mannered woman, and has only yelled at Hop twice that I can remember. I’m not sure how she does it. I’ve yelled at Hop more times than any human can count.

“Well then, we best get going! You know Lee’s hopeless with directions.” Before I can disagreement, Hop’s already back out the door. I sigh, roll my eyes, and trudge after him. Nothing I haven’t done before. “C’mon, mate! Hurry!”

I jog after him, listening to the cries of the Wooloos in the fields, and as we get closer to town, the cheers of Leon super fans. Hop darts forward when he notices the crowd, and I hesitantly pick up the pace a little.

Leon, every bit the tall, confident champion that he is on the pitch, walks out, his ridiculous cape flowing behind him dramatically and his freakishly tall Charizard by his side. He smiles into the crowd, then hits his classic Charizard pose. Several of the teenage girls in the crowd (not me, obviously) literally swoon. It’s not like he’s even hot.

“Hello, hello, people of Postwick! Your champion has returned!” His deep voice is slightly smug, mostly stupid. Reflects his battle style.

“Lee! Over here!”

“Hop! Good to see that my biggest fan’s come to get me! And it looks like you’ve grown… exactly an inch and a quarter since the last time I saw you!”

“That’s right! It’s that kind of sharp eye that makes you the champion you are!” Hop replies, his idiotic grin spreading wider with every word.

“Short!” I yell, unable to help myself.

“And you must be Abby! It’s nice to finally meet you. As I’m sure you know, I’m the greatest champion the Galar Region’s ever seen, as well as a major Charizard fan! People call me the Unbeatable Leon!” He greets, his stage smile unscathed. Cockiness. He’s not unbeatable, not at all. He needs to learn that all it’ll take is one trainer slightly stronger to end his whole career.

“That’s right,” I nod, keeping my expression blank. Someone needs to keep his ego in check, or else his battling will degrade, and fast. He’s currently at the perfect blend of brute force and cockiness, and even a slight change in percentage will ruin him.

“Come on!” Hop shouts, waving wildly and his dumb grin still widening. Arceus, you’d think that his face muscles would be throbbing by now.

“Well then, everyone, it looks like I’ll be going! Don’t worry, I’ll be back to make sure everyone has a champion time!” I roll my eyes as Leon Charizard poses AGAIN.

“I bet I can beat you both back to the house!” Hop calls, already taking off down the dirt path. I rush to catch up with him, leaving Leon behind. I’m sure he catches up at some point. He’ll be fine. He’s a grown man.

I jump the fence like always as Hop stumbles through the gate. Leon follows several feet behind, smirking to himself about something. You know, one time I was poking around his room, and I found some books that were rated 18+ for things that I do not want to talk about, so I really don’t want to know what he’s thinking.

“I have a surprise for you two,” Leon announces as he walks through the gate. I guess this family is incapable of jumping fences. Before I can remark on that point, Leon grabs three pokéballs from his bag. My eyes widen as he sends out the little guys. “The grass-type Pokémon, Grookey, the fire-type Pokémon, Scorbunny, and the water-type Pokémon, Sobble.” I instantly gravitate towards Sobble, probably out of pity. I reach my hand out, and the tiny little thing bops my finger.

“You can pick first, mate, I’ve already got my Wooloo,” Hop adds, standing off to the sidelines of the impressive battle court. I’ve always been jealous that Hop has his own Pokémon, and now he’s going to have two. It’ll make it all the more impressive when I beat him.

“I want Sobble,” I declare as the little dude climbs up my arm. I can tell we’re going to be an epic pair, rivaling the skills of.. well, Leon and Charizard! There’s a connection between us. Something different to everything about Pokémon I’ve seen. This ain’t no thinkin’ thing. This is real.

“Go ahead and take ‘er pokéball, then,” Leon instructs, gesturing to the open pokéball on the ground.

“It’s a female? Sobble only have a 12.5% chance of being female,” I remark as the little.. um, girl, I guess, sits on my shoulder. Leon gives me a quizzical glance, and I reply, “I’m big on percentages and statistics. Deal.”

“You gonna name ‘er, mate?” Hop asks, bouncing on his feet in anticipation.

My mind flashes back to the Full House marathon I fell asleep watching last night. The idea hits me so quick that I know it’s meant to be. “DJ. That’s her name.”

“Nice! Let’s see… I’ll take Scorbunny!” Hop exclaims, and the little fire guy dashes over to him, his ears twitching with every step. It looks like they have the same amount of energy, that’s for sure. “Welcome to the team, little mate! I’ll call you Pyro!”

“Then I’ll take Grookey! Charizard’ll show you the ropes. You’ll fit in just fine!” The shy little Grookey stumbles over to Leon’s massive Charizard. The thing’s got to be over six and a half feet tall. “Well then, it’s getting late! We better get something to eat!

“Mum’s making shish kebabs! Abby, call your Mum so we can have a proper celebration! After all, we’re trainers now!”


My mum comes over, and we have a feast of shish kebabs. I toss DJ a couple of pieces, and her little smile as she eats them is, quite frankly, adorable. We sit quietly while Hop and Leon ramble on about some battle thing, when I get an idea.

“Deej,” I whisper to my Sobble. “We’re going to take on the gyms together. We’re going to be champions. We’re going to prove that Leon’s beatable. How’s that sound to you?”

DJ makes a cute little sound and taps my hand. And I take that as a yes.

“DJ, you’re the best partner that I could have gotten. And together, we’ll rise above all else. We will win.”

“Splish.”

“Abby, we best head home now,” Mum interrupts, breaking my focus. “After all, I’m sure you have an adventure ahead for tomorrow!”

“Damn right I do,” I mumble, slamming my fist into my palm. I wave to Hop and jog back to my house, DJ resting on my shoulder. The Budew in the garden greet us, and DJ jumps a little, but I bring her down to get a closer look, and she calms down.

“Mum, do you think that Leon’s actually unbeatable?”

“I suppose it sure seems that way.”

“Well, I’m going to beat him. Me and DJ will.”

“Abby, what are you-?”

“Gotta go research battle strategies, see ya!”

I dash to my room and pull up Leon’s stats. His team is well rounded, but there’s always a way to break through.

“Deej, someday, you’ll be up against Leon’s Charizard,” I monologue, scrolling through the stats. “And you’re going to win. I know you will.”

“Splash!”

“That’s right. You know, it’s real quiet in here. It’s time I introduce you to 90’s country and R&B.” I flip to my music app and pull up my ridiculously long playlist. We both fall asleep at some time around 1 AM, after hours of stats and music. DJ’s favorite is What’s It To You. It’s my favorite, too.

We’re already a perfect team. In sync. Especially when it comes to music, shish kebabs, and beating “unbeatable” champions.

When I wake up the next morning, DJ crawls over to me and sits on my shoulder.

“Sheesh, it’s early, Deej. I guess I better shower. Don’t break anything.”

“Splish!”

“Good DJ.”

-Notes-

Please, let me know what you think! Once I get this caught up with the other sites, I’ll have a regular posting schedule, but for now, it’ll be something of a mess. Thanks for reading!
 
Last edited:
Sup. Now, let’s get on with….

Chapter Two: What Was That Thing?
I walk outside, DJ on my shoulder and my jacket around my waist. The sun is out and there’s no clouds for miles. The kind of day that makes you want to pick up your sun-bleached basketball and attempt stupid trick shots while your dumb friend goes and gets cheap popsicles from the convenience store. Unfortunately, the basketball’s inside and my dumb friend and his dumb brother are standing outside my door.

“Abby! How’ve you and DJ been getting along?” Leon asks, gesturing toward the Sobble on my shoulder. “And Hop! What about you and Pyro?”

“We bonded over 90’s music,” I reply, my mouth a completely straight line. And the fact that we want to destroy you.

“Me ‘an Pyro got to know each other better, too! Abby, how’d you feel about a battle?” Hop suggests, his grip tightening on one of his pokéballs.

“I’m down.”

“Go! Wooloo! You’ve got this, buddy!”

“DJ! Let’s do this! Use Pound!”

“Wooloo, Tackle!”

We go back and forth for awhile, both of us determined to win.

“Deej, one more time!”

Hop’s Wooloo faints, and DJ levels up, and learns water gun in the process.

“Nice job, Deej. We got this.”

“Well, I guess you got me there, but I’m still hangin’! Go, Pyro!”

I smirk as Hop sends out his clueless Scorbunny. He has no idea what’s coming. “DJ! Water gun!”

Super effective!

Critical hit!


Pyro faints, and Deej scrambles over to me and sits on my foot. I pick her up and give her the potion that Mum packed for me, then send her back to her pokéball. Hop’s battle style is 95% aspirations and dreams, 5% strength. He’ll get better eventually, getting stronger while keeping those aspirations and dreams alive.

“Well, I may have lost the battle, but I’m going to win the war! Lee, you’ve got to let me take on the gym challenge!” Hop exclaims, shaking with energy. “I’ve even got a proper rival now! Please, Lee?”

“We’ll see. For now, you ought to get pokédexes if you want to be real trainers. Just head down to the lab, the professor will give you them,” Leon orders, ruffling Hop’s hair. “I’ll come with you, but I have to take care of something first. Go on, now.” Leon walks away, his cape fluttering in the soft breeze.

Crash!

“Abby! Did you hear that?” Hop shouts, his hair standing straight up.

“The gate to the Slumbering Weald… that Wooloo from yesterday must have broken through it! We’ve got to go get him!” I command, darting toward the smashed gate.

“We can’t go in there! The professor’s granddaughter went there once, and let me tell you….”

“Hop, I ain’t got time for this! Come with me or don’t, I’m saving that Wooloo.” I bolt through the gate and into the fog-ridden forest. I can hear Hop’s footsteps behind me, so I run a little faster, knowing that he’s here in case of emergency. We make our way through the fog, each curve in the path getting us in a little deeper in the tangle.

“Lrooooaaaaaaarrrd!”

A creature deep in the Weald lets out an earth-shaking howl, making me stumble and knocking the wind out of me. I lift myself up from the moss-covered ground, my breathing cautious and labored.

“A-abby? What was that?”

“Stand back.”

A huge Pokémon unlike any I’ve ever seen before walks through the fog. It’s pale blue, with soft pink tassel-like things that look like Wooloo’s tassels hanging down in front of its ears, which are rife with cuts and marks. It howls again, the echo ringing through the forest.

“I think it wants to battle! Go, Pyro!”

“DJ! Give ‘em hell!” I instruct Deej to use water gun, but… it doesn’t do any damage? I try pound, but nothing happens. It’s like the Pokémon is shielded from our attacks. The fog grows denser as I try one more time, but to no avail. The fog is so thick that I can’t even see the Pokémon, and the air feels hard to breathe.

The majestic creature howls again, and everything blacks out. I fall to the ground, and the last thing I hear is the creature heading back into wherever it came from, deep in the Weald. The crunching of leaves fades, and I fall asleep, or maybe unconscious.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

“Abby! Wake up, mate!”

“Huh?”

“Lee came and found us! Lee, how’d you even get here? You’re pants with directions!”

“I waited ages for the two of you, and you never showed! I got scared and came looking for you!” Leon shouts back. The fog is so thick that I can’t even see him, not even a vague outline.

“We found this Pokémon… it looked like it was dressed as a Wooloo! And our attacks didn’t work on it! Then it howled, and here we are,” Hop rants, exaggerating his movements. “Abby, tell him!”

“What about the Wooloo? That’s what we came for,” I mumble, trying to sit up. The air is still hard to breathe, but it’s not quite as bad. I take in a few slow breaths, trying to get my mind clear.

“Got ‘em right ‘ere,” Leon answers, keeping a firm grasp on the little escape artist. “Now, you two should’ve known better than to come here! What were you thinking? You could’ve gotten seriously hurt!”

“Save your breath, I get the point,” I grumble, checking for DJ’s pokéball. I let out a sigh of relief as my fingers clasp the small object lying beside me on the ground. Thank Arceus, she’s safe.

“You two ought to get out of here,” Leon warns, his tone growing stern. “Go to the lab now, and I won’t tell anyone that you came here.”

“On it, Lee,” Hop sighs, raking his hands through his hair. We trudge silently through the fog, not bothering to race this time. Eventually, we come back to the broken gate, away from the fog and the mysterious Pokémon.

“Well, that was a series of unfortunate events,” I smirk sarcastically, my grip fixed on DJ’s pokéball.

“Even if we did get an earful from Lee… what an experience! This’ll make a pretty fine first page in the tale of my legend!” Hop exclaims, grinning like the lunatic he is.

I snort in derision and rest my hand on my hip. “How’d you know it’s going to be your legend, huh? Why not my legend?”

“I’m going to be champion, just you wait! Now, we ought to get to the lab before Lee tells someone about our little adventure,” Hop laughs nervously. “You should try venturing into the tall grass to catch some more Pokémon!”

“Trust me, I will. You don’t know what’s coming.”

I wade into the tall grass, and first thing I see is a small, quick Skwovet. The little thing challenges me to battle, so I send out Deej and try to get myself a new team member. We use pound a few times, then I pull out one of the five empty pokéballs that Mum packed for me.

Deep breath. You got this. Throw it like a baseball. Remember how Dad taught you, throw a knuckleball to reduce spin. As long as it’s close to the target, it’ll work, but if you get too much spin, it’ll bonk ‘em upside the head.

I take a step back, wind up, then pitch the pokéball at the Skwovet. I hold my breath as it shakes once, twice, thrice…

I allow myself to breathe as the pokéball clicks shut. Huh, the Skwovet’s a female. I laugh to myself as a dumb name idea pops into my head.

“Well, we got DJ. You’re Stephanie.”

The Skwovet chitters in response, then goes back into her pokéball. I guess that means she likes it. I head forward into the grass with a satisfied smirk. After a few more steps, a Rookidee hops out of the grass, taking me by surprise. DJ bursts out of her pokéball, and I prepare to battle.

You know, I could take a chance and just throw the pokéball. They don’t cost much, and if it works, I’m saving a lot of time…

The pokéball flies out of my hand in a clean arc. I squeeze my eyes shut, regretting my reckless decision. All I can do is hope for the best.

Come on, come on….

Click!

My eyes fly open as the pokéball closes. I lunge forward to grab it, and Deej climbs onto my shoulder.

“For you, little dude… how about Prince? You like that?”

The pokéball rattles in my hand, and I take that as a yes. I make it through the rest of the grassy path without encountering any more Pokémon, my eyes fixed on the lab, a large white building with a pokéball design on the roof. Hop waves to me from the door, and I rush to catch up with him. He pushes the heavy door open, and I take in the inside of the lab.

The clean white walls are decorated with thousands of bookcases, and there’s windows everywhere, completely illuminating the room. There’s a large area dedicated solely to plants, with entirely glass walls. A Yamper runs up to my feet and lets out a little yelp.

The little guy leads me to Leon and a young woman with orange-red hair and teal eyes in a tan coat. Leon’s eyes sparkle as Yamper runs to his feet, and he pats the little dude’s head. “Hello, there, Yamper! Oh, Abby, this is Yamper’s trainer, Sonia! Well, um… I like the way she cooks.”

“That’s how you introduce me? We were rivals back in the gym challenge, you know,” Sonia retorts, poking Leon in the arm. I blink a few times when I see Leon’s face get just the slightest bit red. “Anyway, nice to meet you. I’m also the professor’s assistant. Oh! You have a Rotom phone there! I’ll set it up so you can access the Pokédex.”

My phone zips over to where Sonia can see it. She loads some sort of something on there, and my phone comes back to me. “Thanks. This’ll help.”

“No problem! That Pokédex is a gift from Gram, by the way. Why don’t you go let her know you received it? She lives in the house on Route Two,” Sonia instructs. “Not too far from here.”

“Got it,” I reply, pocketing my phone. I wave and head out, one step closer to my goal. Hop jogs up to me as I push the door open, his grin shining.

“Got your Pokédex from Sonia? Then let’s head to Route Two!” He suggests, pulling me by my arm. I tug away from his grasp and continue walking down the stone streets. “Now that you’re a proper trainer, you must be interested in the gym challenge, right?”

“Of course I am,” I reply nonchalantly, kicking a rock down the road. “You’re not the only one that wants to be champion.” I’m at least somewhat familiar with all the gym leaders and their battle styles. I’m prepared.

“We best get someone to endorse us, then! I wonder if Lee would…” Hop muses as we arrive at the start of Route Two.

“I’m goin’ solo now, man. See you at the professor’s house.” I trudge off down the dusty pathway, softly humming to myself. DJ’s pokéball rattles to the beat, and I know that I chose the right first partner.

-Notes-

Thanks for reading. Please, and I mean PLEASE, leave a review. I have nothing but a desire to get better, and feedback is really helpful. Just give me your thoughts. Please.
 
Chapter Three: Wishing On Stars

I’ve been battling the trainers scattered across the route, and my team is getting stronger already. DJ’s at level ten, and the other two are at level eight. I’ve beaten every trainer so far. You know, it feels wrong to say that I’ve beaten every trainer. My team has beaten every trainer so far. All I’ve done is given instructions and cheered them on.

I’m almost at the end of the route, and I still haven’t caught any new Pokémon. I can see the professor’s house up ahead. My last chance for catching a new team member is a small patch of grass to the right, so I head in. I search the grass for ages, but nothing. Just when I’m about to give up, a Nicket pops up and challenges me to battle.

“DJ, she’s just a level seven, be careful. Use pound.”

With a low-level Pokémon, you should catch it at about half health, so you don’t waste your time. You can’t keep doing this forever, mind.


I throw the pokéball and pray that it works. One… two… three…

Click!

I pump my fist and pick up the pokéball. “You know what I’m going to name you?” I smirk idiotically, knowing that I’ll probably regret this later on. “Michelle. Gotta complete the trio.”

“Oi! Abby!” Hop calls, waving maniacally. “There’s the professor, right over there! C’mon!” I dash over to him, eying the old woman having a conversation with Leon in her front yard. Her cane is intricately carved, and a purple headband holds back her frizzy, graying hair.

“So, Professor, have you figured out all the secrets of the Dynamax Phenomenon yet?”

“Oh, goodness, no. It’s far too intricate. I hoped that my granddaughter would take over my research, but… oh, I didn’t even notice that I had guests! I’m Professor Magnolia,” the woman greets politely. “Good to see that you received the Pokédex, Abby.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” I reply, using the manners that I possess, but fail to use the majority of the time. I probably should work on that.

“Professor! Help me convince Lee to endorse us for the gym challenge!” Hop urges, aiming a death glare at Leon.

“Leon, why won’t you endorse them? It’ll be good for them,” Professor Magnolia scolds, treating Leon like a toddler that drew on the wall. “Don’t you always say that you want to make everyone into strong trainers?” It appears to work, because he gives in.

“Let’s have them battle first. I want to see what they’ve got.”

“I’m game,” I smirk, grasping DJ’s pokéball.

“Have you gotten a bit stronger? My Pokémon will but you to the test and see! Go, Wooloo!”

“Deej! Give ‘em hell!”

Damn, his Wooloo’s only level six. Not terrible, I guess, but I thought he’d put it more time to train. If it works for him, then it’s fine by me,

Wooloo fainted!

DJ KO’s him in a single Water Gun.

“You don’t have us down yet! Go, Rookidee!”

“Deej, you know what to do! Water Gun!”

Rookidee fainted!

Another instant KO. I smirk at Hop, watching his expression change from confidence to minor panic. He quickly resumes his confident stance and sends out his Scorbunny.

“Go, Pyro! Our flames are burning bright!”

“DJ. Water Gun.”

Super effective!

Pyro fainted!


“Well, I guess you won this time, mate! But I’m going to come back, stronger than ever! Just you wait! Lee, was that enough of a battle for you?”


“You showed me a proper battle. I said I’d endorse you, so I will,” he sighs in defeat. He pulls out a pen and a few slips of paper, then scribbles us our endorsements. Hop yanks them from his hand, passes me mine, and points to something in the sky.

“Ay, Professor, what’s-“

Two streaks of purple flash through the calm evening sky, standing out against the orange and pink. I watch intently as the mysterious objects come closer and closer to the ground, until…

Crash!

“Well, I’ll be! Those are wishing stars! They allow you to Dynamax your Pokémon!” Magnolia exclaims, scanning the odd stones that fell from the sky. “There’s two of them.. one for Hop, and one for Abby, then!”

“Yes! Dynamax! My Pokémon’ll be huge!” Hop exclaims, pumping his fists in the air. “NOW I’m a proper trainer! Future champion for sure! I wish I’ll become champion! I wish I’ll become champion! I wish I’ll become champion! There! If you wish three times, it’s got to come true, right?”

“Well, that’s convenient,” I smirk, eyeing the purplish rocks. “Quite convenient indeed…”

I wish that I’ll be able to get my team the strongest it can be, travel and bond together, and who knows, maybe I’ll get a boyfriend for the first time in my life somewhere along the way… just a suggestion, don’t think too much of it.

You’re thinking too much of it, aren’t you.


“Looks like I got here just in time for the action,” Sonia remarks, her Yamper yelping quietly beside her. “Now, why don’t you three join us for dinner? I’m obsessed with making the latest trendy curries!”

“Yes,” Leon states matter-of-factly, his expression going from generally pleased to.. incredibly focused on one thing that’ll make him happy. “Absolutely. Please. And thank you.”

Professor Magnolia leads us inside the house. It smells like… tea and hairspray. Not the worst scent a house can have. Sonia begins to make dinner, and Leon just stares. It’s a little disturbing. The tea-and-hairspray scent is soon replaced with a spices-and-meats scent. And I have to say, I definitely prefer the spices-and-meats scent. Hop and I sit at the table for who knows how long as he rambles about something related to battling and I glance into the kitchen, waiting for food.

“Here you go! It’s not a lot, but it’s good,” Sonia offers modestly, clearly unaware of how good she is at this. I guess Leon telling her that for her entire life isn’t enough to get the point across.

I have absolutely no idea what’s in this, but I would tear Hop skin from bone for more of it. Now I see why Leon led with this.

Hop continues rambling, and somewhere along the way, Leon joins in. I let DJ try my curry, and her reaction is about the same as mine.

Leon and Hop end up in an argument, and Sonia makes a point of rolling her eyes every time one of them says something stupid. Needless to say, her eyes are probably sore. Magnolia remains calm despite the chaos and takes a long sip of tea. I don’t know how she does it, unless that tea’s got something in it.

After what feels like decades of arguing, Hop and I head back home before it gets too dark. Deej rides on my shoulder as we walk back through Route Two, then through Wedgehurst, then back home to Postwick. The familiar sound of Wooloo grazing calms me down immediately. Hop waves and jogs back to his house, and I head back to mine.

Mum doesn’t ask questions about where I’ve been, mostly because I’ve never gotten caught and seem pretty trustworthy. I haven’t done anything that bad, just done some dumb stuff, mostly involving poor judgment and a Super Soaker.

I trudge to my bedroom and grab a book. I read out loud to DJ, as well as the rest of my team, who are all sitting in the edge of my bed. They look like they’re enjoying it, and I know I am. After forty-five minutes or so, I close the book and put them back in their pokéballs.

“G’night, comrades. You’re all awesome.”

I think back to my wish from earlier, and the not-so-subtle part I added at the end. I don’t know what I was thinking, about getting a boyfriend.. I’ve never met a guy that I think of that way. But who knows, maybe I’ll meet one. After all, there’s always other challengers, or maybe even a gym leader…

My mind flashes back to my childhood (well, I was thirteen and a half) crush. What if..? No, couldn’t happen. I’ll meet him, and it’ll be weird, but nothing’ll happen.

I pull my blankets up to my nose and fall asleep, listening to the cries of the Wooloo.

-Notes-

Wow, the way I used to write battles is terrible. It gets better, I promise. Also, the foreshadowing in this chapter may have been a little much. But there WILL be good parts, and there’s already been a few, so stick around. And LEAVE REVIEWS, you bloody lunatics (no insult intended).
 
Chapter Four: You Know, People Stress Me Out
Hop: Abby!
Abby!
Abby!


Abby: What do you want?

Hop: Professor Magnolia made us Dynamax Bands! Come with me to get them!

Abby: Okay, okay. I’m coming. Sheesh.


I’m already prepared to go, so all I have to do is run. As soon as I walk out the door, I’m met with blaring sunlight. I’d prefer the fog in the Slumbering Weald to blazing heat.

The Wooloo graze peacefully as I dart down the dirt road, dust kicking up behind me. The sun beats down on me, but I keep running. But today is definitely NOT a good day to run. I just want to beat Hop. It’s a good thing I don’t sweat easily, because if I did, I’d be soaked. The heat of eternal damnation sneaks up on you down here. And of course it’s when I have places to go.

After what feels like hours of being put through a furnace, I finally arrive at Professor Magnolia’s house. Hop beat me, probably just because he got a head start.

“Abby! C’mere!” He calls from across her yard. I jog over to him, finally starting to sweat, as the professor strolls outside with two bracelet-looking things in her hand. “Thanks, professor! NOW we’re proper trainers, mate! We can Dynamax our Pokémon!”

I take the strange band from the professor and clasp it around my wrist. Perfect fit. “Thank you, ma’am. This is real nice of you.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, sweetie,” Professor Magnolia remarks modestly. I guess that’s where Sonia gets it from.

“The legend of my reign is about to begin!” Hop shouts, pumping his Dynamax-banded fist in the air. “Well, I guess it began with that strange Pokémon…”

“What strange Pokémon?” The professor asks politely, probably knowing that Hop’ll spill.

“Well, it couldn’t be hit by our attacks, and when it howled, fog closed in on us….”

Come on, dumbass, don’t tell her where we found it…

“Abby! We best head to the station! I’ll race you!” Hop declares before Magnolia can ask any more questions.

“You’re on, homeboy.”

We take off down the professor’s yard, with me about fifteen feet ahead. The sun isn’t helping, but sometimes, stupidity trumps logic. We’re run so hard we can barely breathe by the time we arrive at the station.

“You… won… mate,” Hop pants, taking in a large gulp of air. He pauses briefly, then adds, “We begin the gym challenge in Motostoke. Our train’s waiting, let’s go!”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I grumble, wishing I thought to bring some water. We head inside the station and are instantly greeted by two bold, authoritarian voices.

“What do you to think you’re doing, leaving for Motostoke without telling us?”

“M-mum!? What-“

“Abby, you should know better! You know I’d have let you go!”

“And Hop! You’ve been so reckless lately. I trust Abby to look after you, but you’re both just kids!”

“Sorry, Mum,” Hop and I stutter in unison. A drop of sweat rolls down my temple as our mums go from scowling to smiling.

“We’ve gotten you gifts so you’ll be able to camp in the wild area!” Hop’s mum explains as she hands Hop a red package. “You won’t make it without it!”

Mum hands me a similar package, but blue instead of red. “Here, Abby. You’ll be able to figure it out, yeah?”

“Of course, Mum. I’ve got it. Thank you,” I reply, wiping sweat off my forehead.

“Thank you, too, Mum! And how lucky you are- the mother of two champion brothers!” Hop shouts, bouncing in excitement. “We best be of, now! We can’t hold up the train!”

Our mums wave as we board the train. The seats are pretty comfortable, and there’s complimentary bottles of cold water. I immediately begin to chug mine, while Hop starts rambling.

“Between here and Motostoke is a vast wild area! It’s full of strong, wild Pokémon AND strong trainers!”

“Hmmff,” I acknowledge, about halfway through the bottle.

“We’ve got to train up our Pokémon there! After all, we’re beginning our gym challenge!”

“Mmfghhh.”

“I’m pumped! What about you?”

“Ymmff.” I finish off the bottle, crumpling the weak plastic as I slam it against the table in between the seats. I pull out my earbuds and zone out to That Ain’t My Truck.

Don’t judge me. It’s good.

The train’s whistle lets out a piercing screech as a the train pulls into the Wild Area Station. Hop jolts upright, dropping his phone, then grins wide with a terrifying glint in his eyes.

“We made it! C’mon, mate!” He grabs my wrist and drags me off the train. I tug my hand away quickly, the very feeling of his touch disgusting me. I pause for a second, my mine drifting to… no. Stop thinking about him. Do not think about your childhood (sort of) crush right now.

“Hello! Have you have a Let’s Go experience with Eevee?” Some random train station dude asks me, popping up out of nowhere. “It seems that you have! Well then, I have a reward for you!”

“Huh?” What is this lunatic talking about? I think he’s got the wrong person.

“Here! This is a Gigantamax Eevee!” He pulls out his phone and transfers the Eevee to my boxes. I stare at him blankly, not knowing what to say.

“… Thank you?”

I add the little guy to my team and try to come up with a name. Let’s make this a long-running joke. This little puffball is Jesse.

“Mate? What just happened?”

“No clue.”

“Well, here we are! The Wild Area!” He shouts as we walk through the station’s door. A huge expanse of grass, with trees, lakes, towers… a bunch of wild Pokémon wandering around… it’s absolutely amazing. All the way across the vast landscape, there’s a huge city that looks like a citadel. Motostoke, I presume.

“I’ll be off training up my team! See you in Motostoke, mate!” Hop calls, darting off down the slope of grass. I slowly head down, taking in the surroundings. As I step onto the fog-wet earth, the imposing shadow of a giant Onix looms just ahead. It might be a little too early for that. I sneak through a patch of grass until I’m far out of the Onix’s view. I pull a leaf of my ponytail and stand back up, my eyes fixed on Motostoke.

As I wander, my mind betrays me and I start overthinking everything. Primarily my late childhood/ early teens crush who’s name I will not disclose. He’s a gym leader. I’ll have to deal with meeting him. It’s just another step to becoming champion. I’ve never actually met him, just seen him battle, so there’s no reason for me to even like him. But the memory of watching him battle for the first time, his intensity, his determination…

My mind drives me crazy sometimes. It’ll probably lead to my untimely demise.

As I make my way through the fields, a HUGE Bewear catches my eye. It towers over the grass and every Pokémon around it, it’s intense gaze making me shiver. It makes me wonder if I’m really cut out for this trainer stuff.

I’ll get there someday. Just not quite today.

My eyes focus on the steps up to Motostoke, and I don’t allow them to stray. Breaking into a sprint, I head forward with determination and Something Like That playing in my head. The only part of me that touches the ground is my toes, a trick I learned awhile ago. I’m not sure if it works for everyone, but it sure works for me.

I struggle to catch my breath as I stop in front of the staircase into Motostoke. It looks a lot bigger up close, that’s for sure. The dark gray walls contrast the brightness of the Wild Area, making it look even more imposing.

I take a three breaths (another trick I’ve learned throughout the years of running) and bound up the steps, my jacket flowing behind me like a cape. When I’m champion, I won’t need a cape like Leon’s. I have this jacket.

“Hey! Over here!” Sonia calls, waving me over. I jog to her, using up the last of my energy. “So, brilliant young trainer who’s braved the Wild Area, do you remember what you came for?”

I smirk and snort at the same time, trying and failing to appear confident. “A’ course. Opening ceremony for the gym challenge.”

“It’s being held tomorrow at the Motostoke Stadium. Just take that lift over there to get to the stadium, ‘kay?” Sonia glances at her impeccably painted nails, then glances at a boutique across the street. “Just get registered, then check in to the Budew Drop Inn. Well, laters! I’m goin’ to check out the shops while I’m here!” She waves, then dashes off across the street. I laugh under my breath, concealing a smirk.

As I wander toward the lift, I take in the city around me. The streets are lined with shops, and there’s always people talking, laughing… it’s a little much. I could use some grazing Wooloo right about now. I step onto the intricate lift, made of gears and a platform. The mechanics are relatively straightforward, but it’s a little weird. I’ll have to research that a little more.

The second I step off the lift, I’m met with the towering stadium. I force myself to take a step forward as my legs tremble, every muscle tensed with nervous anticipation after seeing the enormous crowd gathered by the gates.

Standing out from the crowd is the Ball Guy, the league’s mascot. He (or she) dresses like a combination of a pokéball and a Target employee. It’s an interesting concept.

“Oi! Mate!” Hop shouts, waving wildly and pushing the stadium doors open. “Come on! We’ve got to register! It’s time the world learned our names!”

I follow him into the crowded stadium, trying to calm down a little. I’m glancing around the crowded room when someone knocks into my shoulder.

“Watch where you’re going!” I turn to find a guy with curly white hair and a pink jacket standing with his arms crossed. “I was endorsed by the chairman, you know. In other words, among all those elite enough to get an endorsement, I'm the most elite of all."

“You know what, twerp? I was endorsed by the champion and can take you in a fight any day. Pokémon or fist.” I shove my fist close to his face, and being a few inches taller than him, glare down imposingly.

The asshat just snickers and storms off. “Just refrain from talking to me again. You’re too violent and uncultured,” he calls from over his shoulder.

“Man, what a piece of work,” Hop grunts, curling his hands into fists. “I wonder what Chairman Rose ever saw in him.” Ah yes, Chairman Rose. Owner of the league, Rose Tower… he provides all the region’s energy.

“We registering or what?” I ask, shoving Hop to the registration desk.

“Names?” The league officer manning the desk asks flatly.

“Hop.”

“Abby.”

“We were endorsed by the champion.”

“Hand over the endorsements, would you?”

I slide my endorsement across the desk as Hop hands in to the official like it’s a business card. Hop chooses his jersey number, then heads to the hotel.

“And for your number?”

“07,” I answer without hesitation. The officer types it into the computer then calls the next person up. I head to the side, trying to find a path out with less people in the way.

"You're lookin' a bit gobsmacked by all this. You must be from some small country town, is that it? I'm quite the same myself.” I turn around to find a girl with black hair with bangs on one side, buzzed spikes on the other, and the back tied up with maroon ribbons. She’s wearing a black motorcycle jacket and a light pink dress.

“Yeah, it’s a lot. From Postwick, myself. You?”

“Spikemuth.”

Oh my Arceus. She might be his sister. I quickly turn and walk away before my thoughts take over. Once I get out of the stadium, I dart straight to the hotel, almost ramming into the door.

“Whoa, mate, what happened? Hop asks the second I walk in.

“Nothin’. Don’t worry about it.”

“Hiya! It looks like you two got yourselves registered!” Sonia greets, standing in front of a huge statue of a man with a and shield. “I’m researching the mysterious Pokémon said to live in the Slumbering Weald, starting with this statue. It’s meant to be a depiction of the young hero that once saved the Galar region.”

“Huh? Tell us more!” Hop urges, bounding in front of the statue.

“Long ago, there was said to be a great black storm that covered the region. They called it ‘The Darkest Day’. Pokémon Dynamaxed in the wild, without a power spot, and wrecked havoc on the region. It’s said that they were vanquished by a young hero bearing a sword and shield,” Sonia explains, reading the sign in front of the statue. “I wonder if there’s any connection between The Darkest Day and the mysterious Pokémon…”

“You’ll be able to figure it out,” I add, glad for a distraction.

“Thanks, challenger! You two better go get settled into the hotel, you’ll have to get up early for the opening ceremony tomorrow!”

“Abby, there’s a huge holdup! Some hooligans are blocking challengers from getting in the hotel!” Hop exclaims, pointing at the crowd in the lobby. There’s a horde of weirdos in black and pink clothes with face paint and ridiculous haircuts barricading the check-in desk.

“Hey! Facepaints! What’s your problem?” I thunder, raising my fists. “Let ‘em through!”

“Nuh uh! Team Yell ain’t lettin’ anyone through!” One of the female x-faces shouts as a male one blows a noisemaker. “Take us on, see what happens!”

“Will do,” I smirk, reaching for DJ’s pokeball. “Hop, double battle.”

“On it!”

He lets out his Wooloo as the grunts let out a Nicket and a Zigzagoon. It doesn’t take too long to beat them, especially because they’re incredibly underleveled.

“What’re you lot doin’ here?” An irritated voice thunders. Oh, it’s the girl from earlier that may very well be his sister. “Sorry ‘bout them. Jus’ a bunch of my fans from back home that call themselves Team Yell and cheer me on. Now, go on! Head home, you lot!”

“No problem,” I mumble, heading to the front desk. As soon as I get my card-key thing, I bolt straight up to my room. I let my team out on the bed and sit down beside them. “We can’t play any music tonight, guys. Sorry. But we all need some sleep, so let’s get right to that.”

You know, it’s hard to fall asleep with all that background noise.
 
Hello! Do you have a team in mind for your character? Also, is this a Badge quest story or something else?
The team is worked out in my head already, and yeah, badge quest, become champion, etc., but other storylines after the main game arc is done.
 
I like the writing of the protagonist. She's a bit caustic and abrasive, but it's a good contrast to the rest of the setting. I'm not familiar with the music she's into, but it's a good character detail.

It'd be nice to see Abby with her Pokémon more. Since most of the audience for this story, at least on here, is going to be familiar with what's in Sword and Shield already, it might be interesting to develop her Pokémon more, both for personality and perspective. This section here is a decent start:
I trudge to my bedroom and grab a book. I read out loud to DJ, as well as the rest of my team, who are all sitting in the edge of my bed. They look like they’re enjoying it, and I know I am. After forty-five minutes or so, I close the book and put them back in their pokéballs.
Though I think this type of aside benefits from more specificity and detail — what's she reading, how do they react, do they have a favorite part, etc.
 
I like the writing of the protagonist. She's a bit caustic and abrasive, but it's a good contrast to the rest of the setting. I'm not familiar with the music she's into, but it's a good character detail.

It'd be nice to see Abby with her Pokémon more. Since most of the audience for this story, at least on here, is going to be familiar with what's in Sword and Shield already, it might be interesting to develop her Pokémon more, both for personality and perspective. This section here is a decent start:

Though I think this type of aside benefits from more specificity and detail — what's she reading, how do they react, do they have a favorite part, etc.
Thanks for the input! I felt like the peaceful, comfortable atmosphere of the first part of SW/SH needed something else to balance it out. In later chapters, more detail is included, don’t worry. I’ll take all of this into account.
 
Chapter Five: Raihan Is Stupid

I wake up early the next morning and take a shower. I have to look presentable, everyone’s going to see me. I even use gel in my hair to keep it from frizzing and to tame my bangs. I’d enjoy just throwing on a ball cap, but I get the feeling that’s not an option. I don’t have to wear nice clothes because I’ll get my challenger uniform, so I just go t-shirt and jeans. My face is devoid of makeup, and that’s how I like it. I jog down to the lobby, where Hop greets me excitedly.

“Now my legend really begins!” He exclaims, bouncing on his toes. “Come on, Abby! I bet I can beat you to the stadium!”

“I’d highly doubt that.”

The second we get out of the hotel, I take off to the stadium, weaving through the hordes of trainers. Hop springs to keep up with me, but I don’t let him pass me. I skid to a halt at the stadium’s entrance and push open the door. There’s still just as many trainers scattered around, but I try to handle it better. Hop scrambles in behind me and shoves me up to the front desk.

“Challengers Abby and Hop, was it? I have your uniforms,” the league official grumbles, passing us two paper bags. “You’ll want to go and get changed for the ceremony.”

“On it, sir!” Hop replies enthusiastically. I trudge off to the girl’s changing room with the bag of clothes firmly clutched in my hand. The changing rooms are pretty darn big, so there’s an empty corner in the back where I don’t have to worry about people.

I eye the uniform, a white long-sleeved sport top and matching shorts. I’m tearing off the tag when a thought occurs to me.

The gym leaders all come to the opening ceremony… he will be there. I did not consider this. This is going to be incredibly uncomfortable.

I focus on changing into my uniform to distract myself from my stupid brain. The shorts are a little short, and the shirt feels a little too big. I glance in the mirror to see what it looks like. Oh, man, those shorts are really short. The shirt’s fine, but those shorts sure do emphasize my leg length. I take a quick breath and head out of the changing room, walking faster than normal. Maybe no one’ll notice?

“Oi! Mate!” Hop calls. He’s lucky that the boy’s uniform has way longer shorts, even though his go down to his knees. “C’mon! We have to get in there! My mum… your mum… the whole world!”

For a few moments, everything is a blur. I jog out onto the field, surrounded by other challengers, the lights all around me…

Then someone starts to announce the gym leaders, and I immediately panic. I scan the field for any glimpse of him, feeling my heartbeat spike with dread.

Wait… he didn’t come?

I survey the present gym leaders, making sure that this is actually happening.

Milo, Nessa, Kabu, Bea, Opal, Gordie, blank space, Raihan.

He’s actually not here.

Most of me is relieved, but there’s one part that’s… disappointed? I don’t know why. I don’t pay attention to the rest of the ceremony, just occasionally smirking into the crowd. Play it off. Pretend you don’t care. Act casual. Glare at your enemies.

The end of the ceremony is a relief. I grab some water and try to focus on the journey ahead. I don’t need to think about him. I have things to do.

“Mate, we best head off to Turffield!” Hop shouts, sneaking up behind me. “Something wrong?”

“No, I'm fine,” I reply, hoping my voice sounds steady to Hop. If he finds out about him, I’m done for.

“Well, we have to go through Galar Mine No. 1,” he rambles, dragging me by the wrist. I tug away from him and dart in the direction of the mine.

I notice a Vulpix in the tall grass and decide that I want him on my team. After a quick battle, I toss a pokéball at him and hope for the best.

Click!


“I’m gonna name you Hobbes. Welcome to the team. Now, let’s face this mine!”

Several Hours Later…

DJ evolved, and so did Prince and Michelle. I’ve got to find a fire stone for Hobbes, and Stephanie’s going to take a little longer. I’m almost at the end of the mine when I’m interrupted by a snobby, entitled voice.

“You. You’re the trainer endorsed by the champion. You are aware that the chairman is more important than the champion, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yes, the entitled asshat. What’d you want?”

“Any trainer with a wishing star is in for a beating from me and my Pokémon.”

“You want to battle? We’ll battle. DJ, give ‘em hell!”


One Win Later..

“Well, I’ve already gathered all the wishing stars in this area. I must get going.”

I’ve determined that his battle style is 45% entitlement, 45% superiority complex, 10% psychic type favoritism. Not the best, not in the slightest.

“Whatever,” I grumble, stuffing my hands in my pockets. I walk all the way to Turffield, and by the time I get there, it’s already dark out and the gym’s closed for the day. Fortunately, they have places for challengers to stay overnight during gym challenge season. The place I get is small, but pretty nice. I flop down on my bed and check my phone. Huh, I got tagged in a bunch of posts. Holy Wooloo, I got tagged in one of Raihan’s posts. I immediately check it out, curious to see what he has to say.


@RaitheDragon Presents:

This year’s challengers: a thread

We’ve got some pretty interesting challengers this year, but I’ll present the highlight reel here.


First, there’s a picture of all the challengers, then a solo picture of Hop.

1. Champion’s Brother (@Hoptothetop): this kid is interesting. He’s hyper, talkative, and always following around our next challenger…

Next up, there’s a picture of me, in those damn shorts, looking angry at everything. Not the worst picture, honestly.

2. Tall Angry Redhead (@Abby07): I don’t think she likes me. I don’t think she likes anyone. But she’s probably pretty strong.

Then there’s a picture of asshat, looking like… well, like himself.

3. Endorsed by the Chairman (@PrinceBede1): he thinks he’s elite. I’m not sure about that. Please note that Tall Angry Redhead was glaring at him for awhile. I’m not sure what he did, but I’d advise that he watch out.

And lastly, a picture of the girl that might be his sister.

4. Shy Emo Girl (@MorpekoGirl69): she physically cannot smile. I’m not sure why.

I’m not sure which one of these weirdos will make it up against Leon, but it’s probably between Redhead and Emo. What do you guys think?


I immediately leave a comment.

@Abby07: I, too, think it’s between me and Emo, and @PrinceBede1, I’m watching you
@MorpekoGirl69: Nice. What’d he do?
——-@Abby07: Enough to get him to the top of my hit list.
——-@RaitheDragon: Anyone else care to weigh in?
————-@Hoptothetop: You have a hit list?
——————- @Abby07: Yes. No more questions.

@GalarGymLeaderz: We’ll let Milo be the judge of that by which one kicks his ass the best
@MiloWooloo: Nessa, stop using the official account for things like that.
———@Nesswims99: Fiiinnnnneeeeee

@RaitheDragon: We still have a lot more gym leaders, and I won’t stop until all of them give some input

@ManofFire45: You can’t judge a book by its cover, Raihan.
@RaitheDragon: That’s a nice story, grandpa. Next?

@HitmonBea: I bet Tall Angry Redhead could hold up in a street fight
@Abby07: Seven years of kickboxing. (Hear that, @PrinceBede1? Seven. Years.)

@Opalpink
: The boy endorsed by the chairman shows promise.
@MorpekoGirl69: If he don’t die first
———-@Abby07: He will :)

@RocksolidGordo: I’m scared of redhead and emo
@Abby07: You should be :)
— — —@MorpekoGirl69: I won’t hesitate
——————@RocksolidGordo: I’m going to die


@RaitheDragon: We have one gym leader left
@RaitheDragon: cough (Piers) cough
———- @RaitheDragon: GET IN HERE
—————@RaitheDragon: I CAN SEE THAT YOU’RE READING THIS

@Songinthenight: Sheesh. You know who I want to win
@RaitheDragon: Well they don’t


Holy Wooloo. Him. I hesitate a few seconds before typing out a reply.


——-@Abby07: I kinda do
————@RaitheDragon: Beware this one. She has a hit list, has done seven years of kickboxing, and is like six feet tall
— ————- @Abby07: 5’11 and a half, thank you very much. (I’m taller than you, @PrinceBede1)
— ——— ————@RaitheDragon: @Songinthenight, didn’t you once say that you had a thing for tall redheads?
— ——- ————- — — @Songinthenight: No I didn’t. You did.
—————————————— @RaitheDragon: Riiiigggggghhhhhhtttttttt


@RaitheDragon
: BREAKING NEWS: @Songinthenight might be in love with @Abby07
@RaitheDragon
: My condolences, Tall Angry Redhead




Alright, time to panic.

“Deej, what am I supposed to do? I thought I was over him, but I guess not. Now it turns out that I’m his type and Raihan is spreading rumors that he’s in love with me. Do I go after him? Wait to see what he does? And do I really like him?”

“Splish.” She taps my phone, somehow opens up the music app, and presses You’re Beginning To Get To Me.

“You’re a genius, Deej! That’s how I feel about him. I’m not saying I’m in love. He’s beginning to get to me.”

“Splash!”

“We’re listening to a bunch more songs now. After this, we’re doing What’s It To You.”

“Splish plish.”

We don’t stop there. No, we go through half of my country playlist before falling asleep.



The weirdest thing is, I don’t really like his music. It’s just not really my thing.
I could probably like it if he wrote it about me.

Arceus, I’m insane.

I do like his voice, though.
 
Chapter Six: Time To Take On A Gym

Hop: Sonia’s looking for you and wants you to meet her at the geoglyph

Abby: I’m going

I open the door to the blaring sun and immediately reach into my bag for my sunglasses. Dark ones that make it impossible to see what I’m looking at. Hey, it looks cool. As I trudge down the road to the geoglyph, Sonia’s Yamper trots up to me.

“Bwark!”

“Hey, little dude. Came to get me, huh? Thanks. C’mon, we ought to get to the geoglyph.” We walk up the hills leading up to the geoglyph, an abundance of tourists hanging around. I dodge through the crowd until I reach the top.

“Abby! There you are!” Sonia waves me over to the railing, and I jog over and glance at the geoglyph. I’ve seen pictures, but it’s different in person. There, carved into a hill, is a swirl, then a monstrous figure that resembles a Pokémon below it. “Now, tell me… what do you think it means?”

“It’s connected to the Darkest Day. Dynamax, too. Maybe it’s about how the two are connected?” I muse, scanning the engraving on the hill.

“That’s interesting. I guess I’m going to be the one to find out. Now, you go and get that gym badge. Milo uses Grass types, so if you use Bug, Flying, or Fire type moves, you’ll be set. Now go and battle yourself silly!” She waves and practically shoves me away from the geoglyph. I jog down the hill, the sun beating down on me as I go. When I get where I can see the stadium, something crashes into me.

“Wooloo! Where do you think you’re going?!” A voice exclaims from behind me. I turn around and find myself standing face-to-face with Milo (well, I’m quite a few inches taller than him). Grass uniform, dumb hat. Very farmer-like. “I’m so sorry about that! You took that tackle head-on! Abby, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” I reply casually, glancing down at him through my sunglasses. “I’ll be at your gym periodically. Be prepared.”

“I will be! I’ve been itching to see how good the champion-endorsed trainers are! Now, come on, Wooloo, lets get back to the gym. We can’t keep the challengers waiting!” Milo jogs down to the gym, Wooloo with violent tendencies in tow, leaving me standing there in the middle of Turffield. I turn to head to the gym, but Hop dashes over to me before I can go.

“Look! There’s Turffield Gym! And the gym leader just got back! Let’s go!” He drags me down to the gym before I can tell him that I wanted to go alone so I could have a talk with my team without looking like a maniac. As I push through the doors of the packed gym, I notice that they sure do make it clear that it’s a grass-type gym. Green, everywhere.

“Hop? You’re up.”

“Wish me luck, mate!” He calls as he jogs to the changing room.

“You’ve got this.” With him gone, I use the opportunity to talk things over with my team. “Alright, guys, take a metaphorical knee, here’s the plan: Hobbes in first, Dynamax Prince. Hold nothing back, play on his weaknesses. Take advantage of speed. You guys got it?” I’m not sure if they got it, but I pull out a book while I wait for my turn.

“Abby? It’s your turn to attempt the gym challenge,” one of the gym trainers announces. “Get changed into your uniform, then head down the corridor.”

This uniform bugs me. I hate long sleeves, and these shorts… ugh. But hey, I’ve got better things to worry about. Like becoming champion, for one. And before I do that, I have to beat Milo. I walk down the green-walled corridor with a confident smirk, ready for whatever this challenge brings.

“Greetings, challenger!” A league official guy remarks as I walk into the challenge area. “In Turffield Stadium, the gym challenge is… to herd the groups of Wooloo to their pens! There’s obstacles to dodge, and to make things a little harder, we’ve placed Yamper throughout the course that’ll scare the Wooloo! Good luck, challenger!”

I glance down the field in front of me and take off down to the first group of Wooloo. When I get close, they roll in the direction that I’m running in. I maneuver them around the divides and down to the gates easily, the cheers of the fans keeping me going. This is probably the easy level. This next one’s going to be harder.

I set off to the next group of Wooloo and immediately notice the Yamper on one side of the field. I direct the Wooloo to the other side and manage to complete that section too. I wipe sweat from my forehead as I look down to the third section, complete with Yamper on both sides of the field. This one’s going to be harder, isn’t it.

I take off toward the field in a worn-out jog. The Wooloo roll smoothly up until the section with Yamper on either side. There’s a divide in the middle, so there’s no way to avoid them. I lead the Wooloo to the inner-left side and hope that I don’t catch the Yamper’s attention.

“Bwark!”

The Wooloo scatter into two groups, one in the front and one in the back. I lead the ones in the front forward first, get them in the pen, then head back for the other ones. This time, I try the inner-right side, and thank Arceus, the Yamper doesn’t notice. I triumphantly jog up the the pen, Wooloo rolling in front of me.

Someone blows a whistle, and the doors to the main stadium open. The fans cheer loudly as I jog up the stairs and out to the pitch. I grip Hobbes’ pokéball tighter in my hand as Milo joins me.

“Because this is the first gym, we get a lot of challengers, so we try to keep the gym challenge difficult, but that didn’t stop you from beating it! Proper job! It sure seems like you understand Pokémon! This is gonna be a doozy of a battle! I’ll have to Dynamax my Pokémon if I want to win!”

“Hobbes! Make ‘em feel that fire!”

“Go, Gossifleur!”

I change my stance, leaning forward like I’m about to steal a base. “Hobbes, Incinerate!” The attack drains about three fifths of Gossifleur’s health. I smirk as Milo begins to sweat.

“Keep it up! Gossifleur, use Rapid Spin!” He shouts in retaliation. It takes approximately two sevenths of Hobbes’ health. Gossifleur’s faster than Hobbes now, so he uses rapid spin again. I dig my heels into the pitch and pull my sunglasses down on my nose.

“Hobbes, Incinerate again! You’ve almost got ‘em!”

And what do you know, Gossifleur faints. I pump my fist and send Hobbes back to his pokéball. Milo grabs his last Pokémon as I reach for Prince.

“Woohoo! We’re not going to be done it so fast! We’re tough as weeds! Go, Eldegoss!”

“Prince, you’re in control! We’re taking this to the ground!” And for the first time, I Dynamax a Pokémon. My Dynamax band reacts to the power spot, and the next thing I know, Prince is a towering beast.

“Come on, then! It’s Dynamax time! You’ll be easily uprooted!”

“Prince… Max Airstream!”

The move depletes most of Eldegoss’s health, but there’s still time for Milo to put up a fight.

“This’ll leave you in shock and awe! It’s our Dynamax move! Eldegoss, Max Overgrowth!”
Not very effective on Prince, that’s for sure. I have him use Max Airstream one more time, and Eldegoss goes crashing down. The crowd cheers as Eldegoss is sent back to his pokéball.

“The power of grass has wilted… what an incredible gym challenger!” Milo walks toward the center of the pitch, and I follow suit. “That must have been a fulfilling battle for you! You’ve earned yourself a Grass Badge!” He hands me the small badge with a design like a spinach leaf. I click it into the metal ring designed to hold the badges with a grin.

“Thanks. For the badge and the battle.” I give him one of my signature smirks, then walk off the pitch with the crowd cheering my name. You know, I could get used to this. The thrill, the crowd, the adrenaline… I love battling.

“Mate! Got yourself the gym badge, eh? Nice job!” Hop greets, grinning wildly. “The challenge was easy for me because I’m used to wrangling Wooloo, you know!” He holds up his own badge for me to see. Completely identical to mine, same spinach-leaf design. We walk out of the gym, and I take a picture with me and my gym badge. My fingers fly across the screen as I go to post it.


@Abby07: I’m in it to win it.
@RaitheDragon: What’s your favorite and least favorite part of being a challenger so far? ————— @Abby07: My favorite is definitely the battling and competition, and my least favorite is having to walk everywhere. I wish I could drive without a chaperone.
— ————— ———@Hoptothetop: Your truck is a junk heap. You really need to get a different one.
————————————@Abby07: YOU COULD SET MY TRUCK ON FIRE AND ROLL IT DOWN A HILL, AND I STILL WOULDN’T TRADE IT FOR A COUPE DEVILLE.
——————————————@RaitheDragon: ‘Cause there’s something skinny emo boys like about a pickup girl
————————————————@Songinthenight: SHUT UP, RAI-RAI
——————————————————-@Abby07: Rai-Rai is crazy. Also, he knows the song I was referring to. Questionable.

@RaitheDragon: @Songinthenight is being highly suspicious regarding @Abby07
@Abby07
: Shut up, Rai-Rai.

@GalarGymLeaderz: Inquiring minds want to know, who kicked Milo’s ass the best?
@MiloWooloo: Nessa, really?
———@Nesswims99: Inquiring minds, Milo
——————@MiloWooloo: I’m not answering that
————————-@Abby07: Translation: All of us beat him so horrifically that he can’t even rank them

@RaitheDragon
: Several people have been wondering about @Abby07’s hit list
@Abby07: Simple.
5: @Hoptothetop- He bit me when we were kids
4.@RocksolidGordo- His hair makes me want to end myself
3: People that clap when the plane lands- We should eradicate their kind as a whole
2: My sixth grade teacher- Must I explain?
1:@PrinceBede1- DIE, FIEND, DIE
————@RocksolidGordo: Oh Arceus
——————@Hoptothetop: I bit you? Do you have proof?
————————-@Abby07: I HAVE A SCAR ON MY LEFT RING FINGER FROM IT TO THIS DAY.
——————————-@RaitheDragon: I bet @Songinthenight would like to help you cover it
—————————————@Abby07: SHUT UP, RAI-RAI.


@Abby07
: New idea: When @RaitheDragon says anything, everyone says “Shut up, Rai- Rai”
@Songinthenight: Yes.
——————-@RaitheDragon: I don’t think that’s a good idea…
————————-@Hoptothetop: Shut up, Rai-Rai


@MorpekoGirl69: Let’s take some time to appreciate that @Songinthenight and @Abby07 are just making it easier to ship them

@Abby07: @RaitheDragon is now ranked 5# on my hit list
@RocksolidGordo: I’m still going to die
————-@RaitheDragon: !!??!?!?!!!????!!??!!!???!!??!!?
———————-@Songinthenight: Shut up, Rai-Rai


“Well, mate, we best get to Hulbery! Nessa’s water-type gym is next, so you best get prepared!” Hop interrupts, breaking my train of thought. “We just have to speed through Route 5!”

“I’m ready,” I reply, the corner of my mouth lifting into a smirk. If I can deal with an idiot spreading dumb rumors, I can beat another gym. “Let’s do this.”
 
Chapter Seven: Team Yell Is Questionable
Route. 5. Is. Long.

Hop and I set out from Turffield, with him going ahead of me. I take some time to get some supplies from the pokécenter before I leave. Got to keep my team in good health with a route this long. I stuff my earbuds in, crank up some Metallica (I have a diverse taste in music, okay?), and jog down the path. After a while, I come to a long, long, and even more long bridge covered in feathers.

Heath feather… muscle feather… plain old pretty feather… my Arceus, that’s a lot of feathers. Sweet holy dirt, how many more of the damned things are there? Although, I could always sell them. I wonder how I’d look in a red punk vest. Pretty cool if I wore these sunglasses with them, I’d bet.

“Oi! Mate!” I glance further down the bridge and find Hop, waving excitedly at me. “Come any closer and we’re gonna battle!”

“You’re on, homeboy!” I shout back, taking a single step forward. “Hobbes! Make ‘em feel that fire!”

“Go, Wooloo!”

“Hobbes! Incinerate!”
I smirk as the attack halves Wooloo’s health. Hop’s confident stance remains unchanged anyway, and he decides to fight back.

“Wooloo, use Double Kick!” He counters. It takes about a third of Hobbes’ health, which comes as a shock.

“Stronger there, huh? Not bad,” I smirk, shifting my weight from foot to foot, “but can you deal with the burn? Hobbes, Incinerate ‘em!” Wooloo faints, and I give Hop an arrogant grin. He reaches for his next Pokémon, confidence unfaltering.

“Go, Corvisquire! We’ve still got time to turn the tables!”

“Not on my watch! Hobbes, I know you’re probably tired of it, but use Incinerate again!”

“Corvisquire! Use Pluck!”

We go back and forth for awhile until Hobbes faints. I reach for DJ’s pokéball as Hop grins triumphantly.

“Not so fast, there. DJ, give ‘em hell! Water Pulse!”

And what do you know, Corvisquire faints. Hop’s expression goes from lighthearted to stern as he reaches for his last pokéball. Determination burns in his eyes. Such a shame that I have to beat him.

“Go, Pyro! Our flames are burning bright! Use Flame Charge!” So Pyro’s evolved into a Raboot now. Little weaker than Deej, though.

“Not very effective there, huh? Time to show you what we got. Deej, Water Pulse!”

One-shot KO. Hop’s smile fades, but not for long.

“Right proper battle, mate! I’m off to Hulbery!” He waves and sprints off as I use a revive on Hobbes. I spend some time meticulously picking up feathers, because I really want that jacket. As I come to the end of the bridge, I’m met with some familiar voices.

“Hand over the bike!”

“We need it to chase off gym challengers!”

“B-but I-“

Team Yell idiots are harassing a doctor-looking man that clearly can’t fight back. In a moment of heroic stupidity, I step in.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, facepaints. Lay off ‘em, will ya?”

“Oi! What say do you ‘ave, huh? You’ve got yerself in for a battle.”

“I’m down. Give me your best.”


One Win Later…

The Team Yell idiots left, thank Arceus. The doctor guy gives me a grateful expression as the grunts take off running.

“T-thank you, gym challenger. As a thank you, how about you take this rotom bike? It’s a machine of my own invention that you connect your rotom phone with, and you can get to your destination much faster than you can walking!” The man offers gratefully.

“Thanks, sir, and it’s really no problem,” I reply, grasping the handle of the bike. My phone connects itself, and I make my way down to Hulbery. You know, this bike is pretty cool. Not electric blue motorcycle cool, but cool enough to want to show off. I did say that I hated having to walk everywhere.

By the time I pull up to Hulbery, it’s already dark out. I check in to one of the challenger houses, and this one is WAY nicer than the one in Turffield. Bigger, more comfortable, less green and more blue. The view of the lighthouse is amazing. I’d love to go to the top of it, but people aren’t allowed to go inside. I flop on to the queen-sized bed and pull out my phone. Nothing like online conversations with a bunch of weirdos to make you feel better.

@RaitheDragon: I’ve been informed that many of the challengers have made it to Hulbery. Challengers, what do you think?

@Abby07: To no one in particular (#ShutupRaiRai), Hulbery is cool, the lighthouse is cool, and this bed is way too soft.

@Hoptothetop: For me, I think that Hulbery is great! I got seafood at The Captain’s Table when I got here, and it’s really good! 10/10, would recommend :)

@MorpekoGirl69: My bed’s too hard. @Abby07, wanna trade?
@Abby07: We gonna switch houses, or just lug the mattresses over?
——————@RaitheDragon: I almost died moving a mattress once
————————@Abby07: Shut up, Rai-Rai
—————————-@RaitheDragon: Will you stop that?
———————————@Abby07: Will you stop making dumb comments about me and @Songinthenight?
————————————@RaitheDragon: YES

Abby07: Attention, the #ShutupRaiRai movement is over until further notice. I won’t hesitate to bring it back, though, and he’s still #5 on my hit list.

@RaitheDragon: Milo, want to tell us about your best battles of today?
@MiloWooloo: Please don’t make me.
——————@Abby07: He got his ass kicked every time. (And you’re next, @Nesswims99)
———————@Nesswims99: Should I be scared?
————————-@Abby07: Yes, you should be :)

@RaitheDragon: I would like to call attention to the point that @Abby07 can make a smiley face the most threatening thing I’ve ever witnessed
@Abby07: :) :) :) :)
——————@RocksolidGordo: I’m terrified
———————-@Abby07: You should be :)

@Abby07
: I have a message for @PrinceBede1, which he will probably never look at, but just in case he does…



:)

@Nesswims99: I’m exited to see how the challengers do against me tomorrow! Give me your best!
@Abby07: Trust me, I will.


I set my phone down and pull out To Kill A Mockingbird, otherwise known as the best book in existence (fight me). You know, I bet I could post that… I grab , my phone and take a pic of the cover, then hit the post button faster than a Boltund after drinking a six pack of Monster.

@Abby07: This is the greatest book of all time. Fight me.
@Hoptothetop: Ever read the books in Leon’s room?
—————-@Abby07: Wait, THOSE ONES
———————@RaitheDragon: @Charizard_Fan01, what you been readin
————————-@Charizard_Fan01: Shut up, Rai-Rai

@Abby07: ATTENTION: The #ShutupRaiRai movement is back. @Charizard_Fan01, welcome to the movement, my brother.


I put my phone down for good this time and open up the greatest book in existence. I love this book, and I read for hours before eventually falling asleep. I’ve got important things to do tomorrow, so I best get my rest in.

I have a dream that Hop kidnaps me, locks me inside a shed in the middle of a cornfield, and throws raisins through a tiny slit in the roof.

I don’t get it either, okay?
 
Chapter Eight: Don’t Doubt The Eevee (You Will Regret It)

The next morning, I wake up just after sunrise to DJ sitting on my shoulder and tapping my face. “You’re getting too big for this, Deej. You’ll be taller than me once you’re fully evolved, you know. I guess I better shower. Don’t break anything.”

“Splish.”

Thank Arceus I brought my own hair stuff, because this cheap stuff is pitiful. And the soap smells cheap. I guess there’s nothing I can do about it. At least the water’s boiling hot. That’s always a plus. The cheap complimentary blow dryer barely works, but I honestly don’t know what I expected from a free place to stay. I throw on some jeans and a green t-shirt, grab my bag, and head out to the lighthouse for a closer look.

It’s humid and overcast outside, and the air is thick and hard to breathe. I head down the clean coastal streets littered with challengers, with a particularly large clump right outside the gym. Curious, I pull out my phone and shoot Hop a text.

Abby: What’s the deal with all the challengers in front of the gym?

Hop: The gym leader’s not there, people are waiting

Abby: Tell me when she gets back.

Hop: Will do

My phone puts itself back in my pocket as I continue to walk toward the lighthouse. My hands grip the straps of my bag, the cool leather growing sticky from the humidity. If I could, I’d pull off my shoes and socks and jump off the docks into the water. I get the feeling that’s not an option right now. Maybe later, but not now.

I eventually come to the lighthouse, the tall red and white striped structure blocked off with rope. My eyes move to the statue next to it that appears to be of two Toxtricity. I walk over to the plaque in front of it, curious to hear the story behind it.

~Hulbery Lighthouse Protectors~
Long ago, when the sky turned black and Pokémon rampaged across the region, the lighthouse was threatened by a massive Pokémon. Two other Pokémon stepped in to defend the lighthouse and defeated the threat. In honor of their noble victory, this statue here depicts them.


My phone flies out of my pocket and decides that I should take a picture. I get a shot of the plaque, the statue, and the lighthouse itself. You know, this might help with Sonia’s research. I send her the picture of the plaque along with a short message.

Abby: This is almost definitely connected to the Darkest Day. Thought you’d like to see it.

Sonia: Thanks! You’ve saved me the trip down there! I’m in Hulbery if you need anything.

Abby: Not at the moment. Planning on battling the gym as soon as possible.

Sonia: Good on you! I might stop by later. Nessa’s an old friend.

I turn to the edge of the path and realize that I’m not the only one out here. Tall (as in a bit taller than me tall), dark skin, black hair with teal stripes… Nessa. She turns in my direction, and a small grin spreads across her lips.

“You’re the girl endorsed by the champion, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” I answer, pocketing my phone. It’s a little embarrassing that she knows all the stuff that Raihan’s been saying, and I pray that she doesn’t mention it. Besides, no one knows about my earlier crush on him. Technically, I haven’t confirmed that it’s back.

“Well, we should head to the gym! I love fishing, but I love Pokémon battles even more, and I’ve been itching for a battle with you,” she laughs, starting toward the gym. I follow after her, easily matching her brisk pace.

Abby: Yo, Nessa’s heading back to the gym

Hop: FINALLY

It’s only gotten more humid, and I’m beginning to wish that I wore shorts. I’m sure my hair is frizzed all over the place at this point. Who knows how Nessa gets hers to stay perfect all day. The walk to the gym is short, but in humidity like this? Hell. Nessa walks straight to the gym, but I take a minor detour through town.

“Chairman! Over here!”

“Chairman Rose! What’re you doing here in Hulbery?”

“People, please. The chairman has matters to attend to.”

“No, wait! I can still do more autographs! I’ll even give you my Pokémon League card!”

“Chairman, we really must be going.”

“Isn’t it a bit harsh to go scaring them off like that, Oleana?”

“I simply am doing everything in my power to assist you.”

“I promise to do everything in my power to assist you, too, Chairman!” Interrupts… Asshat?! Where the hell did he come from?

“And you are…?” The Chairman asks with less enthusiasm than you’d expect.

“Bede, sir,” Asshat grumbles, disappointment spreading across his face. So Bede is his real name. Good to know..

“Ah, yes, Bede. I’m impressed with how far you’ve come since I first gave you a Pokémon all those years ago,” the Chairman praises, his trademark stage smile never fading. “Will you be the one to win the gym challenge? Or perhaps it will be one of the trainers endorsed by the champion…”

I take that as my cue and take a few steps forward towards the gym. And what do you know, the Chairman notices me.

“Abby, right? We were just talking about you! You must be on your way to Nessa’s gym… if you get the gym badge, I’ll throw a celebration!” He declares. “Please, do your best for Galar’s future!” He turns and walks… somewhere, and his assistant, Oleana, I think, turns to me.

“After receiving the gym badge, meet the chairman at The Captain’s Table,” she commands. She turns around to follow the chairman, her long, light brown hair flowing behind her. How does she walk in those heels? They’ve got to be at least six inches. Asshat heads towards the gym, and I wait a few minutes before heading there myself. Can’t risk being accused of following him.

Once the coast is clear, I dart down the streets to the gym. Hop greets me at the door, his expression going from bored to excited. “Oi! Mate! There you are! Sure did take you ages.”

“And which one of us has been waiting here for hours?”

“Fair point.”

We stand around for awhile, the crowd going from huge to just medium. I survey all the other challengers, checking for any formidable opponents. Based on what I’ve seen, there’s not a lot of formidable anything. Teenagers that have wanted to be champion for years, all because of Leon, and have no idea what they’re getting themselves into. Me? I’ve wanted to be champion for a week and a half or so, but I know everything about how the gym leaders battle. Despite that, I guess I’m the same, just following a dream. But some dreams, we’re made to find. Others, not so much.

“Abby? You’re up.”

I head to the changing room, slip on my uniform, and head down the corridor to the gym challenge area. It looks just like the corridor in Turffield Stadium, but blue instead of green. I’ve heard that in other regions, all the gyms are different, but here, they’re mostly the same with a few exceptions.

“Challenger Abby! The gym challenge at Hulbery Stadium is… to get to the end of this path by pressing the buttons on these disks to stop the water from blocking your path!” The league official guy shouts. In front of me, there’s a maze of water flowing out of color-coded pipes, blocking certain areas off, and corresponding panels with a singular button. I press the button on the first panel, and the pipes in front of me shut off and another one turns on.

It’s just a puzzle. This is going to be so much easier than herding Wooloo. Each panel I press, I’m one step closer to the end. The deeper in I get, the more complex the puzzle becomes. There’s buttons you have to press more than once, hidden panels… fortunately, the more complex, the more I like it.

I’m almost at the end. There’s three pipes in front of the entrance to the pitch, and that’s all I have to figure out. At this point, I’m just pressing buttons to see what happens. What do you know, the strategy works, and one by one, the final pipes shut off. The doors to the pitch open, and the crowd cheers wildly.

I start up the stairs, the crowds’ eyes on me. As I head through the corridor, lights flash on, illuminating me. At last, I step out onto the pitch. Nessa walks out from the other side of the stadium, and I reach for my pokéballs. After some debate, I settle on Stephanie for my first Pokémon out. With her pokéball clutched firmly in my hand, I head to the center of the pitch.

“Welcome, honored gym challenger. I don’t doubt my humble mission’s difficultly… yet you cleared it. Your mind must be quite refined as a Pokémon trainer. No matter what kind of plan your refined mind may be plotting, my partner and I are sure to sink it. Go, Goldeen!”

“Stephanie, take ‘em all down! Body Slam!” It takes a little over a third of Goldeen’s health, and I’m pleased with that.

“Don’t think you’re getting away with that! Goldeen, Water Pulse!” It does a fair amount of damage, but I’m sure that Stephanie can keep going.

“Steph, Body Slam ‘er again!”

“Goldeen! Horn Attack!”

“One last Body Slam!” I shout, and what do you know, Goldeen faints. Nessa pulls her back into her pokéball as something awesome happens. “Whoa, Steph, you’re evolving! Nice!”

Well, I have a Greedent now. That’s a good thing. A good thing indeed.

“Evolving your Pokémon in the middle of a match? That’s a new one,” Nessa mumbles. “Go, Arrokuda! Use Aqua Jet!” Stephanie’s hanging by a thread here. Should I use a Super Potion, or should she just go out in a blaze of glory?

I choose blaze of glory. “Steph, Body Slam yet again!”

“Arrokuda, Bite!”

Stephanie faints, but my confidence is unfazed. Who should I send out now… “Michelle! Bring the darkness!”

“Arrokuda, Aqua Jet!”

Well, that’s a decent amount of damage, but I’m sure that I can still win. “Michelle, Assurance!”

“Arrokuda, Fury Attack!”

“Michelle, one last hit! Assurance!”

Arrokuda fainted!

“Looks like I’m down to one last Pokémon! I’ve been saving the best for last!” Nessa shouts, sending out her Drednaw. I send Michelle back to her pokéball and grab my secret weapon.

“Jesse, prove your might!” I watch as Nessa blinks a few times once she sees him. Yeah, that’s right, doubt him. See what happens. A smirk spreads across my lips as I roar, “Gigantamax!” Jesse changes form as my Dynamax band reacts to the power spot. He lands with an earth-shaking thud, and the entire mood of the stadium shifts.

“Flood the Stadium and make it our ocean, Drednaw, time to Dynamax!” Nessa shouts, a calm smile on her face.

“Jesse, G-Max Cuddle!”

“Drednaw, Max Geyser!”

The ground quakes with every attack, and the crowd starts cheering like crazy. I dig my heels into the pitch and take a deep inhale. “Jess, again, G-Max Cuddle!”

“Max Geyser!”

“Jess, all it’ll take is one more! You know what to do!”

Drednaw crashes to the ground and the crowd goes wild. I shrink Jesse back into his pokéball and walk to the center of the pitch.

“I think I see it now,” Nessa sighs, her voice cracking with disappointment. “You have an unbreakable spirit that may even be strong enough to challenge the champion. You’ll want to head to Motostoke to challenge the fire-type gym now. Here’s the water badge.” She hands me the small badge with three blue droplets on it. It clicks into place in the badge ring, and I head out of the pitch.

It looks like I have some time to kill before dinner with the chairman, so I pull out my phone and take a picture of my badge ring.


@Abby07: One fourth down, three fourths to go.
—@Hoptothetop: Nice job, mate!
——@RaitheDragon: How did you do?
———@Abby07: I got the damn badge, didn’t I?
————@RaitheDragon: Okay okay don’t kill me (watch out, @Songinthenight)
—————@Abby07: Shut up, Rai-Rai

@ManofFire45: I’m doing special training to prepare for my gym battles right now. I’d advise you do the same.
—@RaitheDragon: Worry about @Abby07. She has a Drizzile and won’t hesitate to use it
——@Abby07: Damn right I won’t, and it’s a her, thank you very much.

Abby07: I’m about to have dinner with the chairman, how’s your day going?
 
Chapter Nine: A Not-Dinner
Let me tell you, the humidity is still kicking. Sweat beads on my forehead as I make my way to The Captain’s Table. Not a good look for dinner with the chairman. There’s a huge crowd outside the restaurant, all yelling about the fact that the chairman is there. I dodge through the crowd until I can get to the restaurant.

“Ah, challenger Abby. Congratulations on winning the gym badge. You see, even though the chairman always comes here incognito, people still find out about his presence. Now, come to the table,” Oleana greets, her mouth in a perfectly straight line. She leads me to the back of the room to a table where the chairman is sitting, wearing some weird clothes, and… Sonia?

“Hey! Abby! Nice to see you here!” She smiles, giving me a small wave.

“You two know each other? Splendid,” the chairman remarks. He begins to ask Sonia questions about Dynamax and power spots while Oleana and I stare blankly at them. It doesn’t look like I’m getting food tonight. The waiters are sticking back, probably because they’re scared to intervene. I let out a small sigh as the chairman and Sonia get deeper into conversation. Oleana, surprisingly, does the same as she glances at her expensive watch.

“Chairman, we real must be going,” she interrupts, her voice stern and demanding.

“But I’ve barely had the chance to speak with Abby yet!”

“You simply have other matters to attend to.”

“Ah, yes. My apologies, Abby, but time dictates…”

Okay, deep breath. Say something smart. “I’m sure you have more important things to do. Don’t waste time here.”

“We’ll have dinner again some other time…..” Before he can finish the sentence, Oleana drags him off to wherever he needs to be. Sonia and I exchange confused glances before standing up and heading out to the restaurant.

“Nice job beating Nessa, Abby! I think I’ll stop by the gym to see her. You should go get some rest!” Sonia chirps as she heads toward the gym. I wave and walk to the house I’m staying at, desperate to get out of this humidity.

Hop : The Motostoke gym leader isn’t in the gym right now. He’s doing some secret training in Galar Mine 2. Wanna go see if we can find him tomorrow

Abby : Y E S

The air conditioner is on full blast and that’s definitely a good thing. I plop down on my bed (still far too soft, but I can deal) and pull out my phone. As I do, a handful of things fall out of my pocket. What the hell… league cards? I mean, I know people have been giving me things, but I never bothered to look at them. I had more important things to do.

@Abby07: Okay I just now realized that people have been giving me league cards.
-@RaitheDragon: How did you just realize that?!
——@Abby07: I JUST SHOVED THEM IN MY POCKET AND DIDN’T LOOK, OKAY!?

@RaitheDragon: On a different note, where the hell is ManofFire45
@Hoptothetop: Training in Galar Mine 2
——@RaitheDragon: wHy
———@Abby07: He’s scared of what’s next.

@Abby07: Dinner with the chairman was weird, mostly because I did not get any food.
@RaitheDragon: Then was it really dinner?
——@Abby07: No, it was not :)

@Nesswims99: Today’s battles were great! Even though several people kicked my ass…
@MiloWooloo: Told you they were strong

@Abby07: Anyone want to argue about something stupid?
@RaitheDragon: Whether or not there’s something between you and @Songinthenight?
——@Abby07: SHUT UP, RAI-RAI
———@Songinthenight: SHUT UP, RAI-RAI

@RaitheDragon: I simply suggested a debate topic and now I am being ATTACKED
@Hoptothetop: Shut up, Rai-Rai


@Abby07
: Dragon type trainers: freakishly strong or total idiots? (#ShutupRaiRai)
@Songinthenight: Idiots

@HitmonBea: I just kicked something so hard it broke
@MiloWooloo: If you kicked Allister again…
——@HitmonBea: I DIDN’T KICK ALLISTER
———@HitmonBea: THIS TIME
————@Abby07: WHY DID YOU KICK HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE
—————@HitmonBea: HE WAS BUGGING ME, OKAY

@Abby07: To all my enemies: :)
@RocksolidGordo: DONT KILL ME
——@Abby07: Don’t worry, I will :)


I let DJ out of her pokéball and open up the music app on my phone. She hijacks it (I don’t even know how she does it), but fortunately, she has very good taste. Eventually, I make a grilled cheese sandwich (I didn’t get any food earlier, I need something) and turn on an old action/comedy (best genre). Deej watches intently while sitting on my shoulder.

“You won’t be able to do that forever.”

“Splish.” (Rough translation: Shut up, I’m watching the movie.)

“Okay, okay. Fine.”

We fall asleep really late, but it’s worth it. I don’t have any dreams, and based on my dream last night, I take that as a good thing. Instead, I sleep DEEP. The alarm goes off like five times before it wakes me up.

“Auugggghhhhhhhhhhhh….. I don’t wanna get up yet…..”

“Splash.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Don’t break anything, I’m going to shower.”

“Splish.”
 
Chapter Ten: Mines
I check my reflection in the full-length mirror. Hair slicked back with far too much gel, dark jeans, blue shirt… good to go. The sun shines down through the window as I grab my bag from the table and head outside. Still humid, good to know.

Sweat is already beading on my forehead as I approach Galar Mine No. 2. As I head through the tunnel, I notice the glowing stones on the walls. Blue, orange, and red crystals illuminate the dark cave. I’m so focused on inspecting the crystals that I nearly step on a Stunfisk.

“Augh! Sheesh, I wasn’t gonna hurt you!” I yelp as the creature lunges for my ankle. The thing backs off, but then, a new kind of threat appears.

“Oi! You a gym challenger?” A gruff voice with a heavy accent orders. My eyebrows furrow at the sight of two of them Team Yell idiots.

“What’s it to ya, huh? What’re ya gon’ do if I am?” I ask back, raising my fists. The grunt starts to say something, but loud, echoing footsteps drown him out.

“Oi! Mate! What’s going on?” Hop asks, giving the grunts a death glare. “You guys better back off! I’m going to be champion, you know!”

“Nah, mate. Not if we can help it! Battle!” Grunt A thunders, gripping one of his pokéballs. Grunt B grabs one of hers.

“Mate, c’mon! Help me out here!”

“Damn right I will! I’ll send you idiots packing!”

One Battle Later…

I smirk as I watch the idiots run off like they’re being chased by a horde of Boltund. Hop smiles into the distance with his arms crossed over his chest. “Nice job, Abby! That’s my rival for you! Now then… where could Kabu have gone off to? Let’s keep going. Maybe he’s deeper in!”

“Sounds good,” I answer, climbing over a small rock formation. Hop follows close behind, peering around every corner. As I round a sharp corner, I see an older man with graying hair in a Fire-type uniform.

“That’s Kabu…. Man, he’s wicked! No wonder he’s the Fire- type gym leader! Lee told me about Kabu.. he said that a bunch of people drop out of the gym challenge just because they can’t beat him! Man, now I’m getting fired up!”

“Ah, you are the trainers endorsed by the champion. Hop and Abby, am I right?” He inquires. He has an accent that I can’t quite place… Johto or Hoenn, I think? “You see, I’m just training up to the last minute so I can do my best against you gym challengers! As you know, I specialize in Fire types, so the Water types in here are perfect training! Regardless, it’s getting late. Just go straight once you leave the mine to reach Motostoke. Make sure to get some rest at the hotel so you’re both in top condition!”

Hop nods obediently, his gaze not leaving Kabu’s. After a few minutes of that, I drag him out of the mine, pull out my awesome new bike, and leave him there to fend for himself. He’ll figure it out eventually. I breeze through Motostoke Outskirts until I come to another long bridge. Sure is a lot of those out here. In one smooth motion, I glide down the bridge till I reach the hotel. The same old hero statue greets me in the lobby, as well as another familiar face.

“Uhhh, challenger Abby, right?” That accent… yep, it’s the emo girl. “Out givin' it your all, even this late, huh? Hey, help with somethin' for a sec. I want t'see if I'm ready for the next leg of the Gym Challenge."

“If you mean a battle… you got it.”

“Wicked! Got some fight in you after all!”

“Prince, you’re in control! We’re taking this to the ground!”

“I’ll feel awful if I lose… but there’s no way I’m gonna! Go, Croagunk!”

“Prince, use Pluck!”

Super effective!

“You may know your type matchups, but you ain’t got our strength! Croagunk, Poison Sting!”

“Prince, finish ‘er off! One more Pluck!”

Croagunk fainted!

“We ain’t givin’ up yet! Go, Scraggy!”

“What do we have ‘ere, Prince? Looks like another super effective hit for us. Pluck.”

Super effective!

“Scraggy, Headbutt!”

“Prince, do I have to tell you? Use Pluck one more time.”

Scraggy fainted!

“It’d be no fun if things ended just yet… that’s why we aren’t givin’ up! Go, Morpeko!”

“Prince, Pluck’s the strongest move you’ve got… keep up with it ‘til she’s down!”
And let me tell you, he does.

"Guess I'd better get to bed and rest up for tomorrow. You'd better get to sleep, too." She gives me a small wave and heads to the elevator. I go to the other side of the elevator, enter my room, and almost immediately sink into the bed.

@RaitheDragon: Question for this year’s challengers: Will you be going back to school after the challenge is over?
@Abby07: NO. Never. And besides, champions don’t need school.
——@Hoptothetop: #Championsdon’tneedschool
———@MorpekoGirl69: #Championsdon’tneedschool

@Charizard_Fan01
: I am an advocate for #Championsdon’tneedschool

@MorpekoGirl69
: Gotta say, @Abby07’s probably the best trainer I’ve battled
@Abby07: Thanks, dude
——@RaitheDragon: @Songinthenight, what do you think of this conversation?
———@Songinthenight: Why would I care?

@Hoptothetop: I had a Kabu sighting earlier, still shaking from the experience
@RaitheDragon: IIIIII don’t think that’s normal, my dude

@ManofFire45: I’m prepared for the gym battles tomorrow. How about you?
@Abby07: Definitely ready.
——@Hoptothetop: Don’t worry, I am!
———@MorpekoGirl69: I’ve been ready for years

@GalarGymLeaderz: Poll: Who’s going to kick Kabu’s ass the best?
@RaitheDragon: @Abby07 has a Drizzile, Type advantage
——@MiloWooloo: Nessa…
———@Nesswims99: Killjoy


“Oh, I almost forgot… I found a fire stone in the mine. Hobbes, it’s time you evolve!”

“Pix!”

I’m not exactly sure how evolution stones work, but next thing I know, I’ve got myself a Ninetales. I play with him a little, then send out DJ.

“Remember this place, Deej? Wasn’t that long ago.”

“Splash.” (Can we play music now?)

“No, we still can’t play music. We can watch another dumb old movie if you want.”

“Splish.” (Count me in.)

A grin spreads across my face as I reach for the remote. “What’re you thinkin’?”

“Sploosh.” (Whatever you think.)

“Alright then, Bill and Ted it is.”

“Splash.” (Fine by me.)

Ah, raw stupidity in it’s purest form. Old movies are gold. Deej seems to think so, too.
 
Chapter Eleven: Fortunately, I Chose Drizzile

I wake up the next morning to the cheap hotel alarm clock. They probably set all of them for… 6:30 for the gym challengers. Because I have nothing better to do, I take a shower and get ready for gym challenging. Is that the proper verb for it? Not sure, I’ll have to look into that.

When Deej knocks at the bathroom door, I take that as a clue to hurry up. I throw on a t-shirt and jeans, make myself some toast, and scramble out the door and out to the lobby.

“Mornin’, Abby,” the emo girl greets.

I think back to the opening ceremony, trying to remember her name. “Morning, Marnie.”

“That friend of yours already went off to the gym. Kabu’s league card is supposed to help against him, and I somehow ended up with a few copies, so… here, take one.” She hands me the league card, and I actually look at it instead of shoving it in my pocket.

“Thanks. Appreciate it.”

“Bet you’ll have no trouble beatin’ that ‘man of fire’ chap. Go an’ get that gym badge already!”

“You know it!” I dart down the street to the gym, making my way through crowds of challengers and fans. You know, the lobby of this gym is different. It’s way bigger, and there’s decorations everywhere.

“Challenger Abby? You’re up.”

You know the drill. Uniform, head down the corridor, take on gym challenge. “Challenger Abby! The gym challenge at Motostoke Stadium is… to battle or catch these Pokémon! Catching a Pokémon is worth two points, and defeating it is worth one. Once you get to five points, you’ve beaten the mission!”

The room has three sections of tall grass, each with a gym trainer standing in it, and a scoreboard in the center. I head into the first spot with tall grass, DJ’s pokéball ready to go. The first Pokémon I come across is a Vulpix. The other trainer in the section sends out a Rolycoly, but I focus on the Vulpix.

“Deej, use Pound! Don’t want to make ‘em faint!”

It takes about half of the Vulpix’s heath, so I throw a Great Ball and hope for the best.

Click!

“That’s two points! Three more!”

I move on to the next patch of grass, where I find a Litwick. I repeat the process I used for Vulpix, and then I’ve got myself four points.

Last one… let’s see what we’ve got…

Sizzlipede appeared!

DJ used Pound!

Sizzlipede used Bite!


Okay, time to catch him…

Sizzlipede was caught!

“Challenger Abby! You have completed the gym mission! Please head out to the pitch.”

The crowd cheers my name as I scale the stairs to the pitch. While Kabu stretches or something, I hang back and heal DJ to top condition. Once she’s at full health, I jog onto the pitch with my signature smirk, which is already boosting my popularity amongst fans.

“Welcome! To get here, it means that you have bested Milo’s Grass type Pokémon and Nessa’s Water types, which is quite the achievement. You have worked hard to achieve victory, but so have I. Let’s put our training to the test! Go, Ninetales!”

“DJ! Give ‘em hell!”

“Ninetales, Quick Attack!”

“Deej, use Water Pulse!” Super effective. It takes the majority of Ninetales’ health, and I respond with a smirk. Well, it looks like I can use two moves in a row here. “Water Gun ‘em!”

“Took advantage of speed? Good job. Go, Arcanine!”

“Deej, Water Pulse.”

“Splish!” (Don’t worry, I’ve got it!)

“Arcanine, Bite!”

“Deej, Water Gun. Won’t take much to get ‘em down.”

“Splash!” (Not much at all!)

Arcanine faints, and Kabu’s expression grows even sterner than it was before. “Light that fire and get your mind moving, Kabu! There must be a path to victory! Go, Centiskorch!”

“DJ, it’s time you show ‘em what you’re capable of! Dynamax!” My Dynamax band connects with the power spot, and Deej turns into a towering giant.

“Burn bright, Centiskorch! Let Gigantamax change your size and form!” The Centiskorch grows into a huge creature covered in flames, and if I didn’t have Deej on hand, I’d be scared.

“DJ, rain down your power! Max Geyser!”

“Splash!” (They won’t know what hit ‘em!)

“Flames always burn upward, so we’ll always aim to go higher. Centiskorch, G-Max Centiferno!”

“Deej, one more Max Geyser and we’ll be done! Put out their fire with your waves!”

Centiskorch crashes to the ground, and the crowd cheers for me. “I’m often regarded as the first roadblock of the gym challenge, but you defeated me! Congratulations, challenger! You’ve earned yourself the Fire Badge.”

The small piece of metal clicks perfectly into the ring next to my other badges. “Thanks, man. I enjoyed that battle.”

“As did I. Go on, challenger. I have faith that you can beat the gym challenge.”

Gotta say, there’s not much I like more than walking off the pitch with the crowd cheering my name. There’s something about it… the thrill, the adrenaline… it’s a good feeling.

“Hey, Abby! Nice job beating Kabu!” Hop shouts as I enter the lobby. “We best get off to Hammerlocke now!”

“You know it!” I yell back, fully aware that we’re probably making a scene in the middle of the gym. I’m used to people staring by now. Battling in large, crowded stadiums does that to a person.

“Race you out to the Wild Area!” Hop calls, taking off out of the stadium.

“You know I’ll win!” I smirk as I begin to follow after him, passing him up before we get to the lift. We’re just about to head down to the main area when someone stops us.

“Challenger Hop. Challenger Abby.” It’s… Kabu? Footsteps rush in behind him.

“Barely made it! Thank goodness for flying taxis,” a familiar voice greets. Nessa, and Milo too. What’re they doing here?

“We’ve come to wish you luck for the next leg of the gym challenge,” Kabu explains, leading me to think that he can read my mind. “With a ceremonial cheer.” I raise my eyebrow at him as he begins to chant.

“Hustle, hustle, Hop! You can do it, you can do it, Abby!” He cheers like a cheerleader of very little skill. It takes everything in my power to avoid bursting into laughter. Hop smiles and nods, then leads me down the lift. As soon as we reach the bottom, we dart off again, not stopping until we reach the Wild Area.

“Hello, Wild Area, my old friend!” Hop shouts, his voice echoing around the vast plains. “We have to go across the bridge to the other side of the Wild Area to get to Hammerlocke. The Pokémon there are all super strong! Lee once told me….” He begins to ramble about.. something until a snobby, arrogant voice interrupts.

“Such poor manners,” Bede smirks, his eyes locked on Hop. “And not even that strong. The champion must have been off his rocker when he endorsed you.”

“What do you want, Asshat?” I grumble, bringing my fist close to his face. He snorts in derision, and I just move my fist up toward his nose. “Back off, will ya?”

“Nothing from you. Hop, was it? I want to battle you,” he declares, and I bring my fist back to my side.

“I’m going to be the next champion, I’ll have you know! And I know that Abby’s beaten you before, and as her rival, I’m sure to beat you!” Hop challenges, grabbing a pokéball from his bag. “Let’s go over there, then. Best let Abby go.”

“I’ll meet you there,” Bede huffs, straightening his jacket. He walks over to where Hop suggested with a smirk of superiority on his face. I’d like to knock it right off.

“Well, mate, I’ll see you in Hammerlocke, after I wipe the floor with this jerk.” Hop’s face falls as he glances in Bede’s direction. He gives me a small smile before heading off to battle him. I shove my hands in my pockets and head down towards the bridge.

The damp grass crunches beneath my boots as I make my way to the bridge. Everything out here smells like wet grass, and it reminds me of home after a storm. I take a sharp inhale of the damp dirt smell and head over the bridge. Sweet holy dirt, the Pokémon here are HUGE. And STRONG. Hop wasn’t kidding. Maybe I should have listened to him while he was rambling. I think I’ll just try to get to Hammerlocke as fast as I possibly can. To do that, I should ride my awesome bike. A smirk spreads across my face as I breeze through the fields, the Pokémon knowing that they can’t catch me. About halfway through, the ground goes from damp to dry, dust flying up after me. There’s a group of rock formations, as well as plenty of dead trees. Not really my thing. A sandstorm kicks up, so I pedal faster, my eyes set on the vague shadow of Hammerlocke.

Once I get out of the sandstorm, I see the sprawling citadel appearance of Hammerlocke. The front entrance is shaped like a dragon’s head, so it feels like the entire city is a giant dragon. I hop off my bike as I approach the entrance, where a league official stops me.

“I need proof that you’ve beaten the first three gyms.”

I flash him my badge ring. “Right ‘ere.”

“You may enter.”

I walk up the stairs and into the dragon’s mouth. Everything in Hammerlocke is the same shade of purple-black brick, and it’s pretty cool. I hear footsteps coming up behind me, exhausted and tired.

“Mate…” Hop stammers, his voice quaking. “Bede… well, he beat me. But it’s fine, I can take a loss. Don’t worry about me.”

“Sorry you lost, man. You’ll get ‘em next time.”

“Thanks, Abby. I’ll best get some rest, now.” He walks away sadly, and I can’t help but feel bad for the guy. He’s always been so convinced that he’s going to be champion… this can’t have a good effect on him.

My boots track mud on the brick as I head to the place I’m staying. If you think that’s bad, you should see the pedals of my bike. Completely covered.

Huh, this place is pretty nice. More room than the other ones, that’s for sure. I leave my boots at the door and sit down on the very small couch.

@Abby07: Okay, is the entire point of Hammerlocke to make you feel like you were eaten by a dragon?
@RaitheDragon: Yes. Why yes it is.
——@Abby07: Second question: WHY
———@RaitheDragon: Why would I know????
————@Abby07: You literally live there
—————@Songinthenight: He doesn’t have a brain

@RaitheDragon: To clarify, I do have a brain.
@Abby07: You clearly do not.
——@RaitheDragon: @Songinthenight take it back
———@Songinthenight: I only speak facts

@RaitheDragon: I HAVE A BRAIN
@Abby07: Beg to differ #RaiRaiisbrainless

@Hoptothetop
: He has no brain #RaiRaiisbrainless

@Charizard_Fan01
: No thoughts, empty head #RaiRaiisbrainless

@MorpekoGirl69
: Does it look like he’s thinking? #RaiRaiisbrainless

@GalarGymLeaderz
: On behalf of all the non-Raihan Gym Leaders: He does not have a brain confirmed #RaiRaiisbrainless
@MiloWooloo: Nessa.
——@Nesswims99: Sorry not sorry!! #RaiRaiisbrainless


Another day, another Raihan-shaming incident. I enjoy that.
 
Chapter Twelve: Gray To Orange
The next morning, I wake up far too early to a Drizzile on my shoulder. “Deej. What did I tell you?”

“Splish.” (It’s not like I’m able to do this forever. I have to do it while I can.)

“Deej, someday soon you’re going to be four inches taller than me, and I have to start phasing you out of this now.”

“Splash.” (Hurry up and shower already. I want to battle.)

“Yeah, yeah. Sheesh, Deej, when’d you turn into Mum?” I growl, yanking some clothes out of my bag. I swear to Arceus, even the shower is the same color as everything else. Whoever designed this city is in for a pummeling, because if I have to look at all this gray for one more second…

I get out of the shower and change my clothes. Huh, I grabbed a gray t-shirt and light jean shorts. Not the worst combination, not the best. After spending far too much time on my hair (it’s going to be humid today. I can tell), I pull on my black hightops with zippers on the side (I love these things) and head outside. The sky’s nearly as gray as the walls, and I’m pretty sure I just saw lightning. Just great. As the wind picks up, I begin to wish that I brought a jacket. Arceus, it’s cold, and I don’t even know where I’m going.

Sonia: Hey, you’re in Hammerlocke, right? Meet me at the vault?

Abby: I’ll be there.

Well, I guess I know where I’m going. TO THE VAULT!

Where the hell is the vault again? I pull out my map and discover that it’s on the west side of Hammerlocke and head in the general direction. Before I get there, I notice a slightly familiar, towering human.

“Oh! The trainer endorsed by the champion!”

“You’re fully aware of my name… Rai-Rai.”

“Never ever ever ever call me that again.”

“No chance, Rai-Rai.”

“Um… this is awkward.”

“Your fault.”

“All the same, you’re a pretty strong trainer, yeah? But you’ll have to get seven gym badges to get the chance to fight the mighty Raihan.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m lookin’ for the vault,” I grumble. This idiot is even more tiresome in person, and he’s making me feel short. This man is like nine inches taller than me, and I am not okay with that.

“So you’re here to see our treasures, huh? Always a good thing to expand your knowledge of Pokémon by studying history,” he rants, staring off over my head, something that most people find rather difficult.

“Yeah, meetin’ someone,” I mumble, staring off to the side.

“Romantic interest?” He asks, smirking with one eyebrow raised.

“No. What sort of idiot would have a date in a VAULT?”

“Good to know… might as well let Piers know…”

“Shut up, Rai-Rai,” I growl, raising my fist.

“Yeah, whatever. Follow me, kid.”

“I can’t be more than four years younger than you.”

“Yes, but you are significantly shorter than me.”

“Isn’t everyone significantly shorter than you?”

“Yes.”

“And I bet I could take you in a fight,” I whisper to DJ’s pokéball, “Pokémon or fist.”

“Don’t count on it, kid. Don’t count on it.”

“Hurry up and get to the damned vault already!” I shout, tired of staring at all the gray. Sky, walls, floors, my shirt… all gray, even though my shirt doesn’t quite match. It’s very depressing. After far too long, the vault comes into view, and what a surprise, it’s GRAY!

“Here we are, kid. And hey, take one of my league cards.” He holds out the card, and I raise my eyebrow at the picture on it.

“What were you screaming about?”

“Not important. Hurry up and head to the vault now. I already made sure they’d let you in.”

“Yeah, I’m goin’.” I let out a sigh as I head into the gray building. The gold Dragon type symbol in the doorway is slightly terrifying, but I manage. The entrance is decently normal, and there’s one red wall to contrast all the gray. The second I head out to the stairs to the vault, it’s all gray again. Very depressing. After climbing the mountain of stairs, I push open the heavy door to the vault to find Sonia standing in the middle, in front of four tapestries.

“Oh, you’re here. Brilliant, aren't they? It's great that there are still treasured tapestries that can tell us of Galar's history,” she says, her eyes not leaving the tapestries. “Check it out. The first one… two youths watching a wishing star.” The tapestry depicts two young men, one blond and one with hair so dark it’s nearly black, standing on a hill looking at a red and white swirl. Not sure I’d say that looks like a wishing star, but I nod. “A disaster occurs… two bewildered youths.” There’s a swirl of red and black, and… people with daggers. That’s nice. “The youths looking upon the sword and shield that stopped the disaster.” That one is pretty self explanatory. “The youths being crowned.” Also self explanatory.

“Two heroes,” I blurt, my eyes fixed on the tapestries. “There’s two of them. One with the sword, and one with the shield. Not just one.”

“Bang on! The statue in Motostoke only had one hero, no matter how you slice it. But here, there’s clearly two heroes,” Sonia muses. “Was there only one, or was there two? And more importantly, what happened to the sword and shield that drove off the disaster?”

“The thing is, what we’re the sword and shield really? What if it’s figurative?”

“But what if… I’ll have to look into that! Thank you! You best head off to Stow-on-Side now!” Sonia exclaims. I can practically see the ideas going off in her head.

“Yeah, I best get going,” I reply, heading towards the door. “Might see you there.” The door creaks open, and I head out into the world of gray. Let’s see… to get to Stow-on-Side, I have to go through Route 6, and that’s not too far from here. Ay, might as well get going now.

The moment I step out of Hammerlocke, the dull gray becomes blinding orange. Augh, dust in my eyes. As I blink violently, a familiar person jogs up to me.

“Hey, mate! You’re heading to Stow-on-Side, right?”

“Evidently,” I grumble, the dust finally clearing. We walk in silence for awhile until some unfortunately familiar idiots block our path.

“Oi, Team Yell! Mind letting us through?” Hop asks, trying to be… nice? Hey, maybe that’ll work on them.

“Nah, mate. You don’t want to wake this sleeping Sandaconda, do ya?”

“Cute lil’ Sandaconda…”

“Alright, facepaints. Promise we won’t wake up the little dude, but we have to get through,” I growl, my eyebrows furrowed.

“Not gonna happen. If you ain’t gonna back off, we’ll ’ave to battle you for it.”

“Game on.”

One Triumphant Victory Later…

“Well, ya woke up the Sandaconda with all that ruckus, so you might as well just go.”

“Thank you, and sorry about the Sandaconda. He was a cute little guy.” I grip the straps of my bag as I walk through Route 6. Hop follows me in silence for a while before finally speaking up.

“See, Bede really wiped the floor with me the last time we battled... And don't get me wrong—I can take a loss! Battling means you've got to lose sometimes. But he said that I was dragging Lee's good name through the mud, being so rubbish like I was... And I just can't get those words out of my head!"

“Hop-

“If I'm weak, then people'll think Lee's weak, too... But I don't want that! I can't let Lee get dragged down! He's the unbeatable Champion! I'm gonna have to take some time figuring this out. See you around, Abby….”

“I was going to offer advice, but ohhh-kay.”

A sigh escapes my mouth as I trudge through Route 6. There’s so many people that want to battle… my team’s getting so much stronger. There’s whole tunnels full of trainers, just waiting to battle. Just before we arrive at Stow-on-Side, the thing I’ve been waiting for finally happens.

“Splash!” (Look look look look look look!)

“Yes! You’re evolving! Now you won’t be able to sit on my shoulder… and you’ll be way stronger, of course.”

There’s the flash of evolution light, and next thing I know, Deej is an Inteleon.

“Okay, yes, learn Snipe Shot.”

“Splish.” (Were you always so short?)

“I’m not short. You’re just 6’3 now.”

“Splash.” (Sweet, I’m taller than everyone.)

“There’s people that are taller than you, Deej. And Pokémon, for that matter.”

“Splish.” (I’m taller than you, that’s all that matters.)

“You sound like Raihan.”

“Splash!” (Take it back! Now!)

“Yeah, yeah, let’s just get to the place we’re stayin’.”

“Splish.” (Good. Growing like four feet is tiring.)

“Trust me, I know. I’m not sure if Pokémon get growing pains, but let me tell you…”

Stow-on-Side is very, very orange. Everything is orange. The place we’re staying tonight ain’t bad. Nice enough bed, decent size, Brobdingnagian(huge) TV. I pull out my phone and begin to look through stupidity in its finest.

@RaitheDragon: Ran into @Abby07 in person today, slightly terrified
@Abby07: Only slightly? Damn, I was going for complete and total terrification.
——@RaitheDragon: Is that a word?
———@Abby07: It is now :)

@HitmonBea: Preparing for battle, almost broke my pantry door
@Abby07: I am not going to ask.

@MorpekoGirl69: There’s dust everywhere, please help
@Hoptothetop: THE PLAGUE OF ORANGE DUST IS UPON US
——@Abby07: WE CAN SURVIVE THIS, COMRADES

@RaitheDragon: For anyone wondering, @Abby07 looks way better in person (ahem ahem one gym leader that skipped the opening ceremony)
@Abby07: I refuse to dignify that with a response.

@Abby07: DJ evolved, prepare to get Snipe Shot
@RaitheDragon: Is that a threat?
——@Abby07: Yes, but not to you. To a particular gym leader on my hit list who’s Gigantamax Pokémon has a x4 weakness to Water :)
———@RocksolidGordo: I fear
————@Abby07: Rightly so :)

@Abby07: @HitmonBea, I have a Corvisquire named Prince to deal with you
@HitmonBea: Bring it on

@RaitheDragon: Just curious @Abby07 where am I on the hit list
@Abby07: Fourth :)

@Hoptothetop: Quick someone teach me how to cook
@Abby07: As a concept or something specific?
——@Hoptothetop: IM HUNGRY AND DONT WANT TO BURN THE TOWN DOWN, PLEASE HELP
———@MorpekoGirl69: You concern me
————@Abby07: I’d like to say that you get used to it, but you never get used to it. He’s just concerning.
—————@Hoptothetop: I have known you almost FIFTEEN YEARS and you betray me like this
——————@RaitheDragon: So, your whole life?

@RaitheDragon: I just found a piece of toast in my driveway
@Songinthenight: Why
——@RaitheDragon: I DONT KNOW WHY THERES A PIECE OF TOAST IN MY DRIVEWAY, OR WHY THE TOAST IS HALF BURNT AND HALF RAW, OR HOW THATS EVEN POSSIBLE
———@Hoptothetop: I did lose some toast earlier
————@Abby07: There you have it. His cooking skills are so poor that he not only can both burn and undercook toast, but he can LOSE HIS TOAST AND HAVE IT END UP IN A DRIVEWAY

@Abby07: Someone buy @Hoptothetop a pizza, I can smell smoke
@RaitheDragon: Why won’t you buy him a pizza? Why do you expect one of us to?
——@Abby07: I DONT HAVE ANY MONEY, GENIUS

@Charizard_Fan01: Sending a pizza your way, little bro
@Hoptothetop: THANK YOU SO MUCH, I THINK THAT THE OVEN WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE
——@MorpekoGirl69: Concerned
———@Abby07: Aren’t we all?
————@Songinthenight: We are.


“Deej, there’s a Brobdingnagian TV here, and we’re going to watch a bunch of dumb old movies.”

“Splash.”

“Yes.”

I pass out some time around one in the morning and sleep til eleven. Deej knows that she can’t sit on my shoulder anymore, and she sleeps even later than I do. I manage to take a shower and get dressed without waking her up to the point that I have to wake her up when we head out.

Fighting types aren’t my thing, but I’m sure I’ll figure this out. A smirk spreads across my face as I walk into the gym.

“We’ve got this, guys. We’ve got this.”
 
Chapter Thirteen: I’m Going To Kill Bede
My eyes widen as I take in the gym mission in front of me. “Let me get this straight. The goal is to get from one end of this maze to the other, in a circle thing that spins, while getting launched by giant boxing gloves.”

“That’s correct, Challenger Abby! Give it your best shot!”

“Very informative,” I grumble as I slide into the death trap. Well, this is a situation that I never expected to be in. Might as well put the metaphorical pedal to the floor.

Update: Should not have put the metaphorical pedal to the floor.

This thing is hard to navigate, let me tell you. I’ve run into every single wall of the maze thing, and I have one of the worst headaches of my life. I stagger out of the death trap onto solid, not-spinning ground, my vision finally clearing. Time for the next one. This one’s got the robot boxing gloves… Arceus help me.

If you’ve never been flung across a maze in a weird vehicle by a mechanic boxing glove, that’s good. Never do that.

By the time I’ve made it through all the mazes, my head is throbbing and I can’t see or walk straight. It’s official, gym missions suck. But hey, it’s time for the part that I’ve been waiting for…

BATTLE.

I head out to the pitch, my head finally back to normal. The crowd is watching intently to a slightly freakish degree as my opponent approaches.

“Welcome, Gym Challenger. I’m Bea,” the girl greets. She’s pure muscle and I’m honestly kind of scared of her. And she’s barefoot, which makes me uncomfortable. Feet are weird. “Do you have an unshakable spirit that can’t be moved, no matter how you are attacked? I think I’ll just test that out, shall I? Go, Hitmontop!”

“You’re in control, Prince! Drill Peck!” Super effective. Hitmontop faints instantly. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

“Go, Pangoro!”

Ohh-kayyyy, this one may be a little harder to deal with… “Prince, ‘nother Drill Peck!” Not an instant KO, but over half of Pangoro’s health. Not bad, not bad.

“Pangoro, Work Up!”

“Prince, take ‘em to the ground. Drill Peck.” A smirk spreads across my lips as Pangoro faints. Two down, two to go.

Bea’s calm expression never falters as she reaches for her next Pokémon. “Go, Sirfetch’d!”

“Prince, this is probably getting repetitive, but hey, gotta do what you gotta do. Drill Peck.”

“Sirfetch’d, Swords Dance!”

“Not your best decision if you can’t get an attack in! One more Drill Peck!”

Hah. She’s on her last, and I haven’t taken a single hit. We’ve got this.

"It's time to dig in our heels! I'm not giving up, so neither should you! Go, Machamp!”

At this point, I know the drill. “Prince, Dynamax.” You know, I’ll never get used to this… the crowd cheering, the stadium going dark, the Pokémon towering above everything…

"Argh! Fine then, let's just destroy everything! It's time for an honorable Gigantamax!" Bea shouts, her gray eyes flickering in the darkness. Gigantamax Machamp is somewhat terrifying, and it will probably be appearing in my nightmares.

“Prince, Max Airstream!”

“G-Max Chi Strike! I’ll use karate along with my Pokémon’s move!”

I take in a quick breath as Prince takes the damage… okay, we’re good, he’s still up. “Prince! This is it! Max Airstream!”

Machamp crashes to the ground, another image that will undoubtedly be in my nightmares. The crowd chants my name as I walk to the center of the pitch.

“Thank you for the battle. Phew… facing you gave me the explanation I needed. Battling against you and your team... I hadn't expected it, but it made my heart dance. It's good to be unshakable in the face of battle. But it's good to be moved by battle, as well. Here. Take the Fighting Badge.” I press the piece of metal into my badge ring. It all fits so perfectly… I like that. "I hope that you'll meet many more Trainers and have many more matches in the future. And I hope that every one of those encounters will nourish your spirit."

“Thanks. You too.” I jog off the pitch, occasionally smirking into the crowd. As I step out of the stadium into the blaring sun, something calls my attention.

“Bwark!” Sonia’s Yamper trots over to my feet, and I pat him on his fuzzy little head.

“Looks like my Yamper really likes you, huh? Anyway, we’ve run into each other at a good time,” Sonia greets. “You know the mural here in Stow-on-Side? It’s said to tell the story of the hero as well. Though what’s here today is just a replica… anyway, you tend to have sharp insight on these things, so I was wondering what you might think when you see the ruins.”

Before I can get a word out, there’s an earth-shattering crash, and a… Pokémon’s cry? Either way, I’m still disoriented from the death trap gym mission and barely manage to stay on my feet.

“What was that? It sounded like it came in the direction of the ruins, too…”

Before Sonia can say anything, I sprint up the stairs the the mural and find something entirely unexpected.

“Destroy it! Destroy it! We’re going to find all those wishing stars!” An unfortunately familiar voice cries. Bede.. and Chairman Rose’s Copperajah? And it looks like the asshat is forcing the poor Copperajah into destroying the mural, which is a hideous painting of flowers that looks like it was done by a preschooler on crack. “If you truly are the chairman’s Pokémon, you should be grateful for the chance to bring him wishing stars!”

“The hell..?” I whisper under my breath as Sonia chases after me, Yamper in tow. Copperajah steps back before landing a devastating blow on the mural, leaving a huge crack through the thing.

“You again?” Bede sneers, running a hand through his hair. “So you think you can start collecting wishing stars now and get in the chairman’s favor? That’s the way of things, is it? Well, I’m not going to let you get in my way! Go, Duosion! Light Screen!” Ugh. I hate it when people use Light Screen. It makes things harder. Not as bad as Protect, though.

“Michelle! Bring the darkness! Night Slash!” Hah, super effective. Took most of Duosion’s health. Now that’s how we do it. “C’mon! Hit ‘em with a Sucker Punch!” Duosion faints and slinks back into its pokéball as Bede’s expression goes from scowling to flat-out hatred.

“You think you’re winning? No, I’m just getting started. Gothorita, if you will?”

“Michelle. Night Slash this asshat into oblivion!” Well, would you look at that, critical hit. One hit KO. “Nice job! Keep it up!”

“Ponyta, teach this chump a lesson.” Ah, Galarian Ponyta. Everyone else gets a cool fire horse, and what do we get? A little pink unicorn. Just delightful.

“Night Slash. You’ve got this!”

“Ponyta, Fairy Wind.” Super Effective on Michelle… but we’re still hanging on. She can do it.

“Sucker Punch ‘em! Don’t let ‘em get away with that Super Effective!”

And just like that, Bede’s down to one Pokémon.

“I have to win this for the chairman! Do you really think that I’ll let you keep me from everything I want? Go, Hattrem!”

“Michelle, this is it. Night Slash!” She lets out a small yelp as she lunges for the Hattrem. Critical Hit. Hattrem faints, and Bede makes some sort of strangled scream.

“But why… how can someone like you beat someone like me? I’m elite… the Galar region rests on my shoulders! You’re… you’re nothing…”

“Challenger Bede!” I turn to see Oleana, followed by the chairman himself. “I wondered what you were planning when you asked to borrow Chairman Rose’s Copperajah…”

“Young Bede…” The Chairman mumbles, his eyes turned to the ground. “It pains me to have to say this, but… I am truly disappointed. When I gave you a Pokémon all those years ago, I saw so much potential in you… maybe even some of me, when I was young. But this? Trying to destroy the mural, a part of Galar’s history? You have no respect for the region itself! You’re clearly not a worthy candidate for the Gym Challenge. Return to Hammerlocke for now, we’ll decide what to do with you later.”

“Wha- but you’re the one that endorsed me! There’s millions of ways we could figure this out, and you’re choosing the worst possible one!”

“Bede, this is not up for debate.”

“Now, bring me those wishing stars you gathered,” Oleana demands, her no-nonsense demeanor at full strength. Bede begrudgingly storms over and hands her the wishing stars, his eyes darkened. The chairman walks away, followed by Oleana, and then Bede. Once they’ve all left the premises, something happens.

The ground around the mural starts shaking, chunks of stone falling clear off. Dust pools up in the air, clouding my line of vision. Once the shaking stops and the dust settles…

“Sweet holy dirt, that’s a statue.”

“Abby! It has to be the two heroes from the story- and…”

“And the sword and shield. They aren’t just objects- they’re Pokémon.” The Pokémon holding the sword in the statue bears some resemblance to the Pokémon we saw in the Slumbering Weald… “Pokémon capable of using weapons, for that matter.”

“This is incredible! Well, Gym Challenger, you best get off to Ballonlea to take on the next gym!” Sonia declares, trying to get a better view of the statues. “It’s just through Glimwood Tangle-and remember to tap the glowing mushrooms!”

“I’m on it,” I call, jogging down the stairs, not stopping until I reach the entrance to Glimwood Tangle. Whoa, that’s a dark forest right there… hey, might as well see what the internet has to say.

@RaitheDragon: I’ve heard that some challengers have beaten Bea. Don’t get lost in Glimwood Tangle
@Abby07: I don’t even want to imagine how Leon did getting through there
——@RaitheDragon: Trust me, you don’t

@Hoptothetop: Something exploded and it had nothing to do with me attempting to cook
@Abby07: It’s a long story involving wishing stars, collapsing murals, and an asshat

@HitmonBea: I thoroughly enjoyed all of my battles today. Thank you guys!
@Abby07: I enjoyed it too. Then again, I may just like battling.
——@Hoptothetop: It was fun! One more page of my legend complete!
———@MorpekoGirl69: Yeah, nice battle

@Opalpink: I hope you Gym Challengers are ready for your auditions. Not anyone can be a Fairy-Type Gym Leader.
@Abby07: Not one for Fairy Types myself. Or pink. Or being a Gym Leader. I’d probably screw up the audition regardless.
——@Hoptothetop: Can’t be a Gym Leader when I’m champion
———@MorpekoGirl69: Fairy Types… ugh.

@Abby07: I’m heading into Glimwood Tangle. Pray that I don’t die.
@Hoptothetop: People keep telling me to tap the mushrooms, I’m not sure what that has to do with anything
——@Charizard_Fan01: It didn’t help me
———@Abby07: Nothing helps you with directions
————@Hoptothetop: Charizard helps you find literally everything
—————@RaitheDragon: You can’t walk down a perfectly straight street without getting lost

@Charizard_Fan01: People are mean to the navigationally challenged


I take in a deep breath as I begin into Glimwood Tangle. It’s so dark in here… the glowing mushrooms are the only light source. Remembering the advice Sonia gave me, I tap one of them.

Oh. They glow more. That explains it.

I venture deeper into the abyss, not knowing where I’m going.
 
Chapter Fourteen: Bede Gets Kidnapped
There’s so many different routes. This whole thing is like a maze, filled to the brim with people that want to battle me. Just before I finally reach Ballonlea, Prince starts evolving. I’ve seen Corviknight plenty of times, but when it’s one you’ve raised from a Rookidee, seeing it all huge and strong… it’s surreal.

“Prince, I’m proud of you. We’ve come so far from our Postwick days, haven’t we? Best get to Ballonlea for our next gym.” Prince lets out a cry in response, and once we get to Ballonlea…

Wow.

It’s so… fairytale. Giant mushrooms, vine-covered houses, glowing lights… it’s so cool. Trees cover the entire area, no sky in sight. It’s still really early… might as well take on the gym. Fairy Type… it just so happens that in the process of evolution, Prince gained the Steel Type. Steel is strong against Fairy.

Would you look at that, we have a type advantage.

I walk up to the incredibly pink stadium, Prince’s pokéball clutched firmly in my hand. Ugh, pink. Not my vibe. I change into my uniform and head to the gym mission… well, this is interesting. A stage. This is bringing back memories of my third grade Christmas program, in which I was forced to sing ‘O Holy Night’ on the highest pitch possible. Not easy for an eight year old with a remarkably low voice.

“Ah, there you are, my dear Gym Challenger. Though you are really lacking in the color pink,” Opal, the gym leader here, greets, sitting behind a desk in front of the stage. “See, I'm looking for a successor to take on the role of Gym Leader here. So my Gym mission serves as an audition of sorts, too. Oh, don't worry. It's simple enough. All you need to do is battle my Trainers and answer the questions they ask along the way. Think carefully before answering, though, child. If you get the wrong answer, the stats of your Pokémon will get lowered. Oh, but if you answer correctly, your Pokémon will get a stat boost. Just think of it as a little Fairy-type Pokémon magic to make things interesting. Now, I want you to go all out. Show me what you can do!" And, almost definitely on cue, a gym trainer walks onto the stage opposite me.

Fairly standard battle, with Prince doling out damage like a super bazooka, until the question happens. “Do you know about the Fairy Type’s weaknesses?”

“Poison. Steel,” I grit out, having a flashback to school as a whole.

“That’s correct! Good job.”

As promised, Prince’s Attack and Special Attack stats are raised. That helps Prince trounce the opponents even faster. We emerge victorious, and another trainer walks in.

“What was the previous trainer’s name?”

“Annette.” Why did I remember that? Thank you, eidetic memory.

“Correct.” This time, it’s Prince’s Speed that gets boosted. After a quick trouncing, the last (I hope) gym trainer meets me on the stage.

“What do I eat for breakfast every morning?”

“I don’t know, omelets?” I guess, keeping my eyes locked on Prince.

“Well, you actually got that right! I like a nice cheese omelet.” Prince’s Defense and Special Defense are boosted, and I beat the final gym trainer. Opal stands without a word and heads into the main battle court, leaving me in the backstage area. I heal Prince real quick before heading out.

"I suppose it's a bit late to introduce myself, but... I'm Opal, the Gym Leader. I've gotten a good look at how you handled those quizzes. The last part of the mission is me... Let me have a look at how you and your partner Pokémon behave! Go, Weezing!”

“You’re in control, Prince!”

“Question! You… do you know my nickname?”

“The wizard,” I reply instantly, thinking back to all the battle research I’ve done.

“Ding ding ding! Congratulations, you’re correct.” Stat boost. We’ve got this.

“Prince, Steel Wing!” Would you look at that, a one hit KO. Opal laughs softly as she sends out her next Pokémon.

“Go, Mawile!” Oh, damn, Steel won’t be super effective… but Fire will be. As I reach for Hobbes’s pokéball, Opal gives me another quiz. “Question! What is my favorite color?”

Pink is the obvious answer… but that seems too easy. Let’s see… she’s wearing the Fairy Type colors, teal and pink… but what’s NOT just a Fairy Type color? Her fur thing is purple, and so’s her umbrella… that must be it! “Purple.”

“Yes, a nice, deep purple…. Truly grand, don’t you think?” Unfortunately, Prince is the one that gets the stat boost, but that’ll help later.

“Hobbes, make ‘em feel that fire! Flamethrower!”

“Mawile, Astonish!”

“Hobbes, ‘nother Flamethrower!” Mawile faints, and I ready Prince’s pokéball. Opal sends out a Togekiss as I let Prince take control.

“Question! Alrighty then… how old am I?”

I look at her with a a devilish smirk. “Sixteen. We’re obviously the same age.”

“Hah! I like your answer!”

“Prince, Steel Wing.” That is what’s called a one hit KO, for those of you at home.

Opal gives me a determined grin. “My morning tea is finally kicking in, and not a moment too soon! Go, Alcremie!”

“Prince, we’re taking this to the ground! Dynamax!” Some Corviknight can Gigantamax, but Prince can’t. That being said, I wouldn’t trade Prince for a brigade of G-Max Corviknight.

“Are you prepared? I’m going to have some fun with this. Alcremie, Gigantamax!” You know how G-Max Machamp is a terrifying beast that lurks in my nightmares? Well, G-Max Alcremie is just a giant cake.

“Prince, Max Steelspike! You’ve got this!”

“You lack pink! Let us give you some! G-Max Finale!”

“Prince, all we need is one more hit. Max Steelspike!”

Alcremie goes crashing to the ground, and I shrink Prince back down to normal. The crowd cheers as Opal and I make our way to the center of the pitch. “Your pink is still lacking, but you’re an excellent trainer with some excellent Pokémon. Not bad, not bad at all… but not quite what I’m looking for. Don’t worry yourself about it, it’s just a matter of my preference. Too bad about the audition, but here’s the Fairy Badge for your efforts.”

Five gyms down, three to go.

“Thanks for the awesome battle! And don’t worry, it’s cool about the audition. I’m sure you’ll find the right one soon.”

“I do hope so… in fact, I already have an idea of where to look. You should get on with your gym challenge and find your place.”

I jog off the pitch and out of the stadium. Ballonlea is now one of my favorite places, because these trees are awesome. And I’ve never seen mushrooms grow like this before. I pull out my phone to snap a quick picture of my badge ring and post it to let my enemies know.

@Abby07: Got my fifth gym badge :)
@RocksolidGordo: You may have the type advantage, but I’m still going to win.
——@Abby07: I would highly doubt that.
———@Hoptothetop: Good job, mate!

@RaitheDragon: As our challengers get closer to fighting the Mighty Raihan, the numbers dwindle
@Abby07: If that’s a reference to an unfortunate event that happened earlier, I find it hilarious.
——@RaitheDragon: It wasn’t and I’m now judging my choice of words


“Oh, Abby, you’re heading off to Hammerlocke, right?” Opal asks, sneaking up behind me. “I have some errands to run there as well, so would you mind accompanying me?”

“Sure. Sounds good.”

As it turns out, Opal is fun to listen to. She’s got so many interesting stories. It’s really interesting to hear what she has to say.

“Ah, Hammerlocke… always such a dusty town. But I suppose some Pokémon prefer it that way… you better get off to your destination. Thank you for traveling with me.”

“You too. I enjoyed it.” I walk off with a small smile on my lips, until I see someone that I was hoping to be done with.

"Come to gawk at me now that I've had my Challenge Band taken away and my Gym Challenger status revoked? Can you really afford to waste time like this?"

“No, asshat, I’m just trying to get to Circhester. It ain’t all about you.”

“Hmm…? That boy… so twisted and misguided… I like it! That’s the kind of thing that gives people some depth!” Opal exclaims. “Time for my gym mission, child!”

“Huh- wha?” Oh, man, I almost feel bad for him! He had it coming, to be fair.

Opal inspects Bede’s hair, jacket, eyes, shoes… “Pink! Pink! And pink! Congratulations, child! You were used by Oleana, am I right? You gathered wishing stars for her, only for her to throw you away like rubbish once she was done with you…. Come with me now, child. I might be able to help you out, but it all depends on how much effort you’re willing to put it.”

Opal drags Bede away by his arm. He blinks out SOS in Morse Code, and I just smirk in reply. After a few minutes of heading down the dusty gray roads, I run into Sonia.

“Heya! The badge collecting going well?”

“Great! Anything new on the legends?”

“I’ve been researching the mural, the sword and shield Pokémon… what kind of Pokémon were they? I was thinking about taking another look at the tapestries in the-“

Ka-boom!

“What was that? Hammerlocke Stadium shook!” Sonia shouts, reaching for her phone.

“Hey, Sonia! And Abby, too! Did you guys feel that shaking?” Leon asks, running up out of nowhere.

“You think? Of course we did! People in the Crown Tundra felt that!” I reply, my hands curling into fists.

“I think it was Chairman Rose doing another experiment… Sonia, what’re you looking at?”

“There’s a power spot… that can’t be good!”

“I’ll come help! I am champion, after all!”

“You’ll just get lost! I’ll come too. Abby, head to Circhester and get your gym badge!”

“Okay. You guys best be careful, if wild Pokémon Dynamax- no trainer to control them… I’ll see you later.” I begin towards Route 7, worry clouding my every thought. What if a bunch of Pokémon get hurt? Or people? I guess I best trust that Leon and Sonia will sort things out.

In the meantime, we have a small problem with Route 7.

If I had to describe it in a single word, the word would be Labyrinthine.

Well, I have nothing to lose…

I head off into the labyrinth of orange and gold, ready to take on whatever I find.
 
Chapter Fifteen: I’m Cold
Good news, I find labyrinths awesome. Especially ones like this that are made up of ruins. And hey, I was chased by a freakishly fast Falinks (unintentional alliteration), and I got out alive. Credit where credit is due, and that thing was FAST.

Now, Circhester? The place be cold. Snow. So much snow.

That is the backstory of where I am now, in the house here drinking coffee like my life depends on it. I don’t care how late it is, I need it. And no one will give me any whiskey, which I assume would be more helpful.

@Abby07: Coffee.
@RaitheDragon: Coffee indeed.
——@Songinthenight: Coffee.
———@RaitheDragon: Black or with stuff in it?
————@Abby07: Too cold, can’t even tell. Brain frostbite.
—————@Songinthenight: It doesn’t matter anymore.
——————@RaitheDragon: It definitely matters.
———————@Songinthenight: And how do you drink your coffee, huh?
————————@Abby07: Why do you hate yourself and everyone else?
—————————@Songinthenight: I mean I kinda do sometimes but that’s irrelevant
——————————@RaitheDragon: Sugar, creamer, and vanilla syrup, you coffee purists

@Hoptothetop: These people be talking bout coffee, I ain’t even allowed to drink coffee
@MorpekoGirl69: How old are you, ten?
——@Abby07: Mentally, he is, physically, no but if he could revert he would

@RocksolidGordo: I’m confident that I’m going to win all my matches tomorrow, fight me
@Abby07: x4 weakness :)
——@Hoptothetop: I’m going to be champion and have to beat you
———@MorpekoGirl69: I will win either fight



The good thing about no one giving you whiskey is that you’re not hungover the next day. I’ve never been hungover, but I’d assume that it’s not pleasant. The only solution to being in a ridiculously cold town is to take a ridiculously hot shower. It did not work as well as I wanted it to.

I pull my jacket tighter around me as I head outside into the freezing snow (as snow tends to be). But no time to worry about that, we got a gym to battle. Circhester Stadium is like every other stadium, but colder. So much colder. As I close the doors and head to the desk, Hop rushes out, his eyes brimmed with tears beneath layers of anger and sweat.

“Arghh! I lost! It all went to pot! There must have been something wrong with my strategy, but I did just what I’ve seen Lee do in battles! I… I’ve got to figure out what to put on my team, once and for all! No more of this doubting! Good luck, mate!”

“Thank you…?”

I head out to the gym mission to be greeted with… dust. The league staff man hands me some sort of weird machine, consisting of two antenna-looking things. “The gym mission at Circhester Stadium is… to navigate through this area! You see, the machine I gave you will vibrate when you get close to a trap in the ground! When you fall into a trap, you have to go back to the last platform you were on! Good luck, Challenger Abby!”

When I head toward the right, the machine vibrates. When I head toward the left, the machine vibrates. This ain’t going to be easy.

Several Falls Later…

Ow. As it turns out, I am not very good at avoiding traps in the ground. Actually, that’s false, I’m quite good at it, but not when they’re undetectable other than by vibrations through a weird machine. Nonetheless, I’ve got a gym leader’s ass to kick.

I walk out on the pitch, face-to-face with one of the people on my hit list. "Hey there. The name's Gordie. I admit I feel a little bad for doing this to a Gym Challenger, but... I'm going to use this match to show the crowd that my Pokémon are unbeatable! So, let’s get this over with, challenger!”

Ugh, his hair is even more evil in person and he’s shorter than I expected

“Go, Barbaracle!”

Well, that poses a challenge… Rock/Water type… eh, Deej can just Snipe Shot ‘em till it’s done. “DJ, give ‘em hell! Snipe Shot!”

“Barbaracle, Shell Smash!” Hmmm… Speed, Attack, and Sp. Attack up, Def. And Sp. Def down… guess I just hope that Deej is still faster.

“Deej, finish ‘em off, will ya? Snipe Shot.” I will never get over how cool Snipe Shot looks. It’s all slow and dramatic, then BLAM! Water shoots from Deej’s fingertip (is it a finger? I’m not sure) and pulverizes the opponent. Golden.

“Ain’t over till it’s over. Go, Shuckle!” As I have learned through my… what, two weeks? Of Pokémon training, one does not want to underestimate the Shuckle.

“Deej, I know this is repetitive, but Snipe Shot!”

“Shuckle, Rock Tomb!”

“It’s fine to take damage as long as you keep fighting! Snipe Shot!”

Fricken’ glorious.

Snipe Shot is awesome.

Gordie’s camera-ready (in his opinion) smile briefly falters, but he ups the overconfidence and sends out his next Pokémon. “Go, Stonjourner! Stealth Rock!” I can’t see the logic in using that move because I am obviously only going to use Deej, but hey, who am I to judge?

Heheheheheheh.

“Deej, Snipe Shot, if you will?” Stonjourner faints instantly upon impact. I smirk out into the crowd as Gordie reaches for his last pokéball.

"Not yet! I'm not crumbling to dust just yet. We can still battle! Go, Coalossal!”

“DJ, you know what I’m talking about! Dynamax!”

“Like a giant mountain boulder! Hiyah! Gigantamax!" Gigantamax Coalossal is basically just a giant furnace with limbs. Not quite nightmare territory. More of the type of thing that appears in one of those dreams consisting purely of sheer madness and chaos.

“Max Geyser. Face that x4 weakness.” When the stream of water hits Coalossal, Gordie just flat-out scowls into the abyss. Looks like another win for me. For us. It’s not all me, it’s the Pokémon that are doing the work.

"I just want to climb into a hole... Well, I guess it'd be more like falling from here."

“Go on. Do it,” I smirk as I walk to the center of the pitch.

“That was… impressive. Rules are rules. Take this Rock Badge.” One more piece snaps into place on my badge ring. 3/4 of the way done. “Oh, don’t worry about me. I just need to train harder, that’s all.”

“Wasn’t plannin’ on it.” I turn and walk off the pitch as the crowd cheers, groans, and occasionally screams. Wow, Gordie fans are weird. Then again, what did I expect? The second I get out of the stadium, I’m greeted with cold. That strongly displeases me.

“That battle was brilliant! The gym leader was tough, but you had no trouble,” Sonia greets, not caring that I’m freezing to death out here. And that it’s weird getting complimented on something that you don’t have to put much thought into. Like school, at least for me.

“X4 weakness,” I shrug, a shiver running down my spine. Unfortunately, I’m skilled at being cold, but not looking cold or feeling cold to the touch, so unless I distinctly tell people that I’m suffering from hypothermia, they can’t tell. Unfortunate.

“Circhester has some great restaurants,” Sonia muses. I raise an eyebrow at her, so she explains, “I got some things I want to talk to you about. The name of the restaurant’s Bob’s Your Uncle!”

Interesting name there, but if there’s a heater, I’ll go. Sonia walks away, presumably towards the restaurant, but I stop at a Pokémon Center to heal my team up before I go. A cruel trick, heat for a few moments only to be thrown back out into the cold. That just ain’t right.

When I walk into the restaurant (which is in fact heated but smells kind of like a burnt-down convenience store), Sonia, accompanied by Hop, waves me over. “Hey! There you are.”

“Got the Gym Badge, Abby? Nice one!”

“Anyway, I’ve been trying to find out more about the Galar legends and the Darkest Day, but no luck…” Sonia lets out a sigh and slumps against a chair, her hair drooping in front of her eye.

“Mate? With the statues we saw in Stow-on-Side, the sword and the shield Pokémon… do you think that the Pokémon we saw that day could be one of them?” Hop asks. “You know what I’m talking about, right?”

“In the Slumbering Weald. It could have been… or maybe an illusion?” I ponder, remembering how none of our attacks could hit it, and how it appeared out of nowhere…

“Oh, that’s right! You lot have been in the Slumbering Weald! I wonder if-“ Sonia cuts herself off as her eyes catch on something in the back of the restaurant. “Wait! Hold on! No way! What’s this?” She jolts to the back wall of the restaurant, and I finally get a view of what she was looking at.

Sweet holy dirt, that’s another tapestry.

It depicts the same two heroes, now crowned, standing in front of two stones. One with a sword, and one with a shield. “What do you think this means?” Sonia asks, practically shaking in excitement.

“Some sort of seal on the sword and shield… if the Pokémon in the Slumbering Weald really was one of them, it would make sense if it was an illusion and couldn’t physically appear. Maybe… maybe they’re waiting for the right heroes to break the seal,” I rant, my eyes growing wider with every word. “What if,” I add silently, “Hop and I are those heroes?”

“And you’ve met one of them… you’ve got to tell me more! Best to discuss it over a good meal, go get your orders in!” Sonia urges. Hop and I obediently head to the counter, where I order a biscuit with fried… something, but whatever it is looks good, hot honey, and pimento cheese, and Hop gets some sort of no-heat-in-any-way-shape-or-form something.

I devour my food as Hop relays the events of the Slumbering Weald incident in agonizing detail. On a different note, this is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Almighty Arceus, this is good. This is the meal of legends right here.

When Hop’s done rambling and I’ve put my leftovers in a box for later, Sonia stands up with a slightly terrifying grin. “Fascinating… All right, the next thing to do now that we're done eating is to have a look around Circhester! Let's inspect the Hero's Bath!"

She leads us outside (yep, still cold) and down to a structure, maybe marble, with a steaming pool beneath it. The heat from the bath is enough to keep me from freezing to death, just barely. Nonetheless, it’s a cool place.

"The Hero's Bath... They say this is where the two heroes came to sooth their wounds after the battle to bring down that evil presence, long ago. Nowadays only Pokémon really use the Hero's Bath, though... Hmm... Who exactly were the heroes that bathed here? I think I'll have to look into that,” Sonia muses, glancing thoughtfully into the pale blue water.

“What, like some hero waving around a sword and shield? Pull the other one. Though… I guess I’d fancy a shield, if I had to take my pick,” Hop mumbles, kicking a chunk of snow down the pathway.

“And I’d go for the sword,” I respond. “Imagine… the Pokémon depicted in the statue held the sword like it was using it… what would it be like to fight alongside it?”

"You two met a mysterious Pokémon back in the Slumbering Weald... Perhaps...you two can become new heroes,” Sonia adds, a small smile forming on her lips. “I wonder what kind of battle the heroes had back then?”

“Why don’t we show her, Abby? Think we can pull off a real heroic battle?”

“You know it! Sword and shield or not, we’ll still be heroes, forever written into Galar’s history! Deej, give ‘em hell!”
 
This chapter is chaos. This chapter is me simping while sleep deprived. But considering the circumstances, it could have been worse.

Chapter Sixteen: Why Why Why Why Is He Hot
“I still can’t even beat you, my true rival… but I think I’m starting to see the light!” Hop beams, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I’m going to keep challenging that gym! Then, once I get that gym badge, I’ll be heading for Route 9 to take on Spikemuth next.”

Spikemuth.

Ohhhhhh boy.

“You okay, Abby? You’re looking a little pale,” Sonia says, glancing at me quizzically.

“Technically, I’m always pale,” I deadpan, using my skills of pretending that I have no feelings (I actually have them, but sometimes emotionless robot is the way to go) and the fact that I am naturally pale. Very pale, for that matter. “I best get going. Hop, you’ve got this. You can kick Gordie’s ass. And Sonia, good luck with your research.”

I turn and walk off into the snow, and once I know for a fact that I’m out of earshot, I have an existential crisis.

Arceus help me, I’m not sure how well the veil of nonchalance will hold up when I see… him. And I don’t even know HOW my brain will react. It’s very unpredictable, especially with emotions that I’m not all that familiar with. Stupid brain is too busy thinking to process emotions correctly. Usually, when I have existential crises such as this, I play basketball by myself until it goes away, but I have a feeling that’s not an option right now. Might as well push on. Nothing like trudging through the snow to clear your mind.

Yeah, right.

“Oi! Hand over the bike!”

“B-But I…”

Team Yell. And… the same doctor guy as before, who gave me the bike. Guess he got another one. Time for a fight.

“How many times do I gotta teach you this lesson, facepaints? Lay off ‘em or you’re in for it.

The female facepaint steps forward with a cocky smirk. “Aw, yeah? Lessee what you got. Go, Linoone!”

“Deej, give ‘em hell! Snipe Shot!” That’s all it takes to make the Linoone faint, and the grunts share a look that I don’t quite understand.

“I think she might be-“

“I don’t care what the boss thinks a’ her, she’s a challenger and she ain’t gettin’ through! Go, Pangoro!”

I pause briefly. ‘Boss’? Eh, can’t afford to loose this. “Prince, you’re in control! Drill Peck!”

I love the look on my opponent’s faces when I land a super effective one hit KO.

“Fine, fine, we’ll be off,” the grunt mumbles, turning and strolling away. Then, once she thinks she’s out of earshot, she grumbles, “Don’t care that the boss thinks she’s pretty.”

“She kinda is, though. Athlete-model, maybe.”

“Aw, shut up.”

“She is cute, though.”

“Shut up b’fore I break your skull.”

“You jus’ don’t wanna admit it.”

“Fine, yeah, I get boss’s point with her. She’s still a threat.”

“She’ll need a shoulder to cry on once she loses to Marnie, may s’well be boss.”

Well, things have taken an interesting turn. Okay, brain, stop thinking so hard, focus on what matters.

“Ah, the same challenger as before! How are you liking your bike?” The doctor guy asks, relief spreading over his face.

“It’s real cool, an’ helpful. Makes it easier to get around.”

“In that case, I have a special upgrade just for you! With this, you’ll be able to ride your bike on water! Just pull your bike out so I can get it set up. It won’t take long at all!”

I watch as the doctor guy messes with the bike, seeing how complicated it is. Not terribly so, but I doubt Hop could handle it. In a few minutes, my bike is ready to go.

“It’ll turn on automatically when you get on the water, so you don’t have to worry about turning anything on,” he explains, handing me the newly modified contraption. I hop on, almost fall off, and eventually get the hang of it. When you get on the water, there’s a set of inflatable wheels that replace the normal ones. It’s pretty cool.

AUGH AUGH AAAUUUUGGGGHHHH A GRAPPLOCT IS CHASING ME

Okay, he’s gone, we cool. Not going to die today.

Well, I might, but not from a Grapploct. It will be much sadder and much more humiliating.

After some time of pedaling through freezing ice water (which the threat of falling into is keeping me upright), I scramble up the bank to Outer Spikemuth. A mob is gathered outside. This is going to be just fAnTaStIc. It appears that Spikemuth is completely walled, although “inside of a bunch of oversized cargo containers” may be more accurate. The part that I’d assume is the front entrance is walled off, and there’s a horde of challengers and reporters in front of it.

“Hey, Abby!” A familiar voice whisper-shouts from the side of the cargo container compound (I keep accidentally alliterating things). I jog over to the voice to find Marnie, waving me into a fenced-off area. "I was born 'ere so I know another way in. If you wanna get into the town, how 'bout I show you the way? But...you're my rival. So you'll have to beat me in a battle first, got it?"

“I gotta challenge this gym, and if I have to beat you to do that, I will. You’re in control, Prince! Take ‘em to the ground!”

“I’ve powered up a whole lot! I’ll pound you lot into the ground! Go, Liepard!”

“Prince, Drill Peck!” Marnie’s expression remains stoic as Prince drains nearly all of Liepard’s health.

“Liepard, Fake Out!” Not very effective, but it does a little bit of damage. Not the worst.

“Prince, Pluck. It’s enough to knock ‘er out.” It is, and Marnie reaches for her next pokéball.

“Go, Scraggy,” she sighs, fully aware of my type advantage. “Crunch.”

Oof, that did a decent amount of damage. No time to worry, we got this. “Prince, Drill Peck!” Super effective, one hit KO. Yes.

“Croagunk,” Marnie mumbles, flicking the pokéball out of her hand. Guess she’s saving the best for last. Not a strategy I object to.

“‘Nother Drill Peck, Prince,” I deadpan, my mouth a completely straight line. I’d feel bad for smiling, Marnie’s clearly not happy about how the battle’s going. Another one hit KO. Let’s see what she can do with Morpeko.

“Just what I expected from my rival! You really know how to get me riled up! Go, Morpeko!”

“Prince, come back in. Let's go with… Jesse.” It’s always good to have the opponent underestimate you. “Jess? Take Down.”

“Morpeko, Bite.”

Last shot before we win. One more hit. That’s it. “Jess, Swift.” I close my eyes as Jesse begins to attack. Really breathe in that air, feel that breeze. Some days you’re living, you know?

“Argh! What’s with that? My Pokémon didn’t get the chance to really do their thing at all!” I open my eyes to find Marnie… holy Wooloo, she might be, quite vaguely, smiling. "My partner Morpeko has been interested in you and your strength, and I think I get it now. But I've got everyone in Spikemuth supportin' me! I'm definitely gonna get all eight Gym Badges just so I can have a rematch with you. Don'cha forget it! I'll get my revenge in the Champion Cup! Anyway, I promised I'd show you a way in, so follow me!"

She leads me under a low-hanging garage-style door. She doesn’t quite have to duck, but if I don’t want a concussion, I’d better. Whoa… Spikemuth isn’t like anything I’ve seen before, and I’ve been all around this region. Dirty, dark, and worn… flashing neon signs hanging over the doors to run-down shops…

Awesome.

“If the shutter’s closed, nobody’s gonna be able to challenge the gym… I gotta look into that,” Marnie muses. “In the meantime, you go and challenge the gym. And I happen to have one too many of these, so go ahead and take it.”

Would you look at that, a league card that I will be staring at tonight at one AM, under a blanket, listening to What’s It To You on repeat. I guess I stare for a little too long, because Marnie gives me a knowing look.

“So it’s true, huh? Can’t say I ever believed it, but knowin’ that it ain’t one-sided’s good.”

“For Arceus’s sake-“

“Hey, s’cool. I won’t say nothin’, don’t worry. Now go beat that gym, an’ I’ll deal with the shutter stuff.”

“…Yeah, okay. Good luck with that.”

“Thanks. You too.”

My Arceus, I am socially awkward. I head into the Pokémon Center to get my team ready, then head to what is presumably the Spikemuth form of a stadium entrance: a stand manned by a Team Yell grunt.

“Oi, how’d you- never mind that, just go get changed into your uniform.” The Spikemuth changing room is smaller than the normal ones, and I’m worried that if I leave my clothes in here, they’ll get stolen by a vengeful Team Yell member. Seriously concerned for my beloved varsity jacket, I tie it loosely around my waist. Draws attention away from my ridiculously short shorts.

There’s no discernible gym mission, so I just walk through the street. Unfortunately, I get ambushed by Team Yell very many times. These guys are jumping out of windows, back handspringing(I doubt that’s a word) up behind me… skills. Mr. Mime blocks my path more than once, but you know what? I am going to become champion, and no one’s gonna stop me.

Not even my unfortunately hot childhood crush that came back with a vengeance.

I walk to the very end of the road after defeating a horde of Team Yell grunts, who are actually just the Spikemuth Gym Trainers. I hear a low, tired sigh as I come to the battle court.

“So you’re finally here, huh?” A deep, all too familiar voice greets. I look slightly up into a teal eye, the other covered by a strand of black and white hair.

Oh, Arceusdammit, he’s hotter in person.
 
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