Ok calm the hell down Trent, you can't have an episode when people aren't looking at you.
Just think about it like a problem. Sure getting his wings wet by a water type with sniper would send Goggles tumbling down right now, but that surely can be remedied. What moves does the yanma line know? Quick attack (might be useful?), detect (Sure, but these are ways of not getting hit, what do I do when we inevitably get hit anyway?) , bug buzz, struggle bug, air slash, air cutter, screech...
"Hey Trent!"
Wing attack (put a pin on that), supersonic, U turn... Maybe agility? A sudden burst of movement could probably aid in throwing the water off and help regain lost ground. We wouldn't even need to keep it up for long, just enough to reposition from the lowered altitude, now how the hell do I counter getting slapped in the face by a jumping Pokemon?
"Uh... Trent?"
Just detect? Supposedly there aren't many Pokemon that would be able to jump high enough to smack Goggles in the head. But Gloria's scorbunny sure as hell is one of them, getting caught by a fighting type wouldn't be the end of the world, Goggles resists them twice over.
"He gets like this sometimes"
So, agility and detect are a psychic move and a fighting type move respectively, psychic and fighting are some of the most well understood type energies out there, so it shouldn't be that hard to fi-
Ow.
Sonia flicked me on the forehead. She is standing up and Hop is not next to me anymore.
"I was spacing out." I let out a sigh alongside my declarative statement as I slumped into the bench.
"That you were deary." I heard Gran's voice ahead, turning to look at her, all the three champion endorsed trainers were next to her now, they probably had a full blown conversation while i was busy remembering the entire moveset of the yanma line.
Great.
"Sorry, was thinking about Pokemon battling." I got up from the benches and begun head towards the group with my head slightly lowered.
"Don't worry about it! I stop listening to people thinking about battling too!" Gloria told me with an easygoing smile. I can absolutely see her doing that, but I cannot for the love of my mother fathom just admitting to something like that to strangers without getting caught first.
But I am going to be traveling a lot with these three, so honesty may be the best policy (honesty is going to have them scorn me).
"Professor Magnolia was just about to give us our pokedexes!" Hop declared, voice seeping with barely contained excitement.
"That right Hop, come on, follow me." The professor gestured for the four of us to begin following her, and we obligingly did.
"Soo... how did you figure out Zarude had grassy surge? I doubt you could see his wounds closing from your perspective!" The girl once again proved to be one the most talkative of the group by initiating small talk before anyone else.
"Uh... i saw the way the grass was growing a lot faster than normal?" I probably would not have noticed if I did not look at the spot Hop released the chimp first, normal grassy terrain makes the grass around glow with energy, but I would guess Grookey is too young to create a perfect terrain just yet. Would I have lost if it could? Probably.
"What? You noticed that?" Her brother facepalmed at her comment "It was sooo obvious. Someday, that tunnel vision of yours is gonna make you lose a battle and I will laugh at you." He intoned in a deadpan voice.
His sister stuck his tongue out at him "You are just mad cuz you lost, brother dearest." She intoned with such immense innocence even that did a double take. And that was a good thing to take note of, now I can say that I saw the end of the battle even though I stopped paying attention in the middle there.
It was... nice hearing them banter with each other. I would probably get worn out way too quickly if I was actively participating in banter like that, constant social activity does that to me, but just hearing them was easy enough.
"Here we are." We finally reach Gran's desk. I could have poked fun at how messy her workspace was when we had guests in. But Gran looked really really happy right now. Maybe she is reminiscing about something?
From one of the drawers from the lower desk, she pulled out a shiny white case and placed it atop a bundle of papers on her desk "These came in just yesterday." With one swift motion, she opened the case, revealing three red and black devices slightly larger than my palm.
These pokedexes were the newest model available. They looked like phones with built in capes, with five cameras on the backside. They would be able to identify Pokemon and Pokemon moves with 100% accuracy, besides linking relevant scientific and battle related articles about the Pokemon that was scanned. And they were also able to identify types and theorize about newfound species of Pokemon, but that was a feature that rarely saw use among the archipelago, being the birthplace of the device, but new Pokemon were found all the time in the continent.
Being given a pokedex by a regional professor means a lot these days. It started when the legendary trainer Red had begun his journey over 30 years ago after being given the first ever pokedex by Kanto's regional professor, Samuel Oak, who was probably the most famous man in all of the archipelago's united history because of his exploits in both politics and Pokemon research.
After professor Elm gave Jotho's former champion, Ethan, a pokedex personally as well, It became practically tradition for professors to personally give pokedexes to young and promising trainers that they think will achieve great things.
I have no idea if the three of them knew about this, or if the weight of what is happening is just lost on them as they giddily pick up their new devices.
"And for you Trent..." Gran this time reached inside her lab coat with both hands, pulling out another pokedex, this one was black with red accents instead, and a white wristband with blue and red accents.
"Sorry for presuming, but I thought this pokedex color suited you best deary." Yes, I would had preferred a red one, black makes it easier to lose and I do not know what horrible things i will do to myself I lose this.
But this is a lot. A dynamax band is more expensive yes, but a pokedex is a symbol.
I look to my left to see the others, Victor already explaining how they work to the other two. These kids had their Pokemon for two days and are probably better at battling then me, not to mention one of them is the brother of a champion.
I did not put stock on tradition at all, a pokedex was a pokedex no matter who gives it to you, but now, side by side with other trainers, I feel like I shouldn't accept this.
If Leon, Hop, Gloria and Victor weren't here, I probably wouldn't have. But as it stands, I simply nod and accept both with a "T-thank you so much Gran." My voice cracked at the end there, and nowhere as firm as I wanted to be. Refusing would be rude. They would ask why and I would not be able to answer, couldn't tell them I was a lesser. I had to do this. (I probably wouldn't be doubting myself now if they weren't here.)
Gran however, just put her hand on my shoulder with that patented grandmotherly smile. "Go as far as you can, no matter where you land, I will be proud of you."
One tear. I allowed myself one tear. Some may say I cried much more than that, but that does not change the fact I allowed myself a single one.
"Th-thank you." I blinked away the tears as rapidly as I could, wiping them in my shirt, I I may not be a guy to pray, but I prayed to Arceus that the other trainers did not see my tears.
The pokedex feels heavy in my palm. Anyone can order a pokedex online and get one, but this one felt special, even if it really wasn't. I pocketed it all the same.
Funny how the exorbitantly expensive pokemon kaiju-ifier felt light in my wrist, every one competing would need one of these, and the gyms had rentals for trainers without their own, having this meant I was one of the few thousand or so people in a region of millions capable of responding to wild dynamax threats with my own dynamax Pokemon.
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"Hey is that a Max Band?" I hear Gloria's voice after fastening the band to my arm. I have no idea if they notice my puffy eyes or the stains on my cheeks, but I am glad she did not comment.
"Man! That's sick!" Hop steps towards me to inspect my wrist, I might be more comfortable around him after the battle, but not enough that the sudden approach would not cause me to take a step back.
"Y-yeah. I got a better contract than usual." I tried to downplay it, even if I knew it was a big deal. Honestly, weren't they supposed to get some bands from Leon as well?
"That's dope! Do you have any ideas of a gigantamax Pokemon you want to catch? I got my entire team mapped out!" I winced a bit at Victor's words. He should know better if he wants to be a trainer, if a Pokemon does not want to be yours, it won't be. (Julian might be a horrible human being, but he wasn't completely stupid)
"N-not really? I haven't given much thought to that at all..." Maybe i should have? I know vaguely where most galarian species reside, mostly the macro areas like, sandaconda live near Stow On Side and impidimp are native to the glimmerwood, but not how to find them specifically.
"I can give you some pointers in team building, I studied a ton of competitive team configurations to figure my team out!" His eyes took a particular shine when talking about that, I should remember this as his very happy face.
"You are weird bro. Just pick the coolest Pokemon you find!" And I found myself agreeing with her more than with her brother.
"Hmm... seeing such young trainers battle with gusto, and so excited about dynamaxing and the future of their journeys... yes! I just decided to give you all max bands too!" Leon declared from behind us, striking a pose. The other three beamed with even more excitement than when they received pokedexes from the regional professor, so I guess I am the weird one. Again.
"Woah!"
"Really?"
"You are the best, bro!"
One look at the utter lack of surprise from both Gran and Sonia told me he had landed on that decision at least a month ago.
"Alright! You are lucky I brought some with me! Here-" the champion padded himself, looking at every one of his pockets, and his pattented champion smile got a little, miniscule amount tinier every pocket that he padded. I would have not noticed that if his face had not done the exact same thing with his battle with the Sinnohan girl. (I rewatched that battle a million times by now)
"Ah! Here they are!"
From what seemed to be the inside of his cape, (he probably had a silphspace someone in there) the champion pulled out three similar bands to mine, these however, are colored red, blue and green.
"Huh. It seems these ones are color coordinated with the starters I gave you, who would haveguess?" His smile and slight arc of eyebrow as he says it makes it sounds like genuine confusion. I am almost inclined to believe he did not plan to give them those now.
Just as Leon puts the green band in Hop's hands, a noise startles him and he lets the band fall to the ground, much to his hopeful brother's dismay.
The champion pulls out the source of the noise, a rotom phone (holy shit those things are EXPENSIVE.), and brings it up to his ears. "What is it? I am in the middle of something man!" Hop picks up his band from the ground, he looks up to his brother with a grim expression.
I look at both their expressions, something settling on my gut. Is this... nostalgia?
"I see. I will be there soon." Leon looks down on Hop, the adolescent expression had turned into firm smile the moment his brother turned his gaze at him, while the champion looks dismayed. "You gotta go, right big bro?"
I get why this is familiar, this is like when mother has to leave because of something coming up in the Pokemon center.
"Yeah I gotta. Sorry." Leon's hand rubs the back of his neck, I turn to look at Victor and he mouths to me 'it's always like this'
"Goodbye hug?"
"Goodbye hug!" The older Taylor then proceeds to wrap his little brother in his arms, lifting him off the ground and squeezing him tight "I swear to be there for your first gym match bro!" And before Hop could respond, Leon broke into a dash towards the door.
Hop stared at the door.
What was he feeling? I did not particularly like to dwell on my own about absent family members, so I probably would make pretty poor counselor to him, therefore I should keep my mouth shut.
"Come, lets get on with our journey!" Gloria gave hop a shoulder bump. A bright smile on her face.
That part is distinctly different from my memories, I remember my friends (not my friends not my friends-) telling me that my mum doesn't love me when she left my birthday.
Hop almost immediately slapped his cheeks and shook his head. "RIGHT! But before that, Sonia! Can you tell me more about the thing in the Slumbering Weald?" The abrupt change in topic was noticed by everyone in the room, but no one would comment.
"You kids shouldn't be exploring places like those." Gran said in response, finally sitting down on her chair after all this time.
"Oh we didn't! I see why you would get that impression, but we just heard-" Victor was quick to begin formulating an excuse, but one look at Gran's graven expression was enough for him to know that his bullshitting his way out of this one was truly impossible. I had never seen Gran don that face before, maybe I am a better lab intern that I tought I was.
"Geez, Leon would flip out if he knew..." the lab assistant comments, looking at the teens disappointment coloring her face.
"Look, Maria was REALLY insistent on leaving the farm, and we could not let her wonder around on her own!" Hop hurriedly defends, like whomever this Maria is should not be aware enough to not enter a 7 badge restricted zone? Your phone sends fucking alerts to you if your gps pings you entering it for Arceus sake.
Gran on her part just raises one eyebrow, and Victor explains away as his sister looks away from the adults "Maria is a wooloo."
"I can actually understand going there to save a Pokemon." My remark gets me stink eyes from both Sonia and Gran. They never looked at me like that, but what is the matter? A human should know better, Pokemon can't use cellphones! Most of them. Alakazam and a few other rare humanoid Pokemon always throw off statements like those.
"THANK YOU TRENT! Now that we established that we were totally justified delving into the Weald, can you tell us more about the rumors there?" Hop asks, bravely bulldozing through the disappointed stares directed at him.
"No you should just have pinged a ranger! But like, there have been rumors about mysterious four legged Pokemon and unidentified Pokemon cries around that area, they point to some sort of wolf like Pokemon, but there are no pictures or recordings." Sonia explains to the teens, who all look at each other with wide eyes.
"Also heavy mists caused by WEEZING. You know, the fairy types known to make fairy energy infused mist? No one ever recorded the cries because they were tripping on weezing mist, Sonia." I cross my arms. Like, really? She should be chastising them (even if i agree with their decision, she is 22 and needs to be a responsible adult), not roping them into her sasquatch hunts.
"Not true! We have a picture! Ronaldo battled one the dogs!" My head snaps toward Gloria, she looks defiantly at me for some reason.
"Can i see?" And I would be lying if Sonia's absolutely giddy tone did not make me curious aswell.
Victor sighed. "You know, I would've liked to be consulted before divulging our shared secrets guys." Hop payed him no mind as he hopped (hehe) towards Sonia, his rotom phone floating in front of him (damn champion privilege).
I move next to Sonia, trying to take a look at the image the kids are presenting her, even Gran scoots over to take a peek.
The image doesn't reveal much and it's a bit blurry. But it definitely shows a scarred face of a dog Pokemon, the fur is a pleasant shade of light blue, but the scars covering it's face and the missing chunk of it's right ear add a certain menace to the canine 'mon, there is a hint of a body, a general black shape obscured by fog, but it appears to be retreating.
I made point to know every single Pokemon in the mainland Galar regional dex and a fair bit about their biology in case I happen to catch one during my journey or had to give one first aid during an emergency. I have no fucking clue what that 'mon is.
A not so quiet "What the fuck" escapes my mouth. Sonia, on the other hand, squeals in delight.
"Wait! We have pokedexes now!" Gloria pulls her dex off her bag, pointing it to the picture on the phone.
Rotom! Ghost electric type! The plasma pokemon. With a body made of plasma, it can inhabit all sorts of machines, from electric bikes to phones. Rotom farms are some of the most successful business in Galar.
"Huh? That thing is a rotom?" I hear Victor facepalm. I am tempted to do the same, but I only muster a half grimace in response.
"No sweetie, the pokedex sensors are picking up rotom's signature. You can't use a pokedex on pictures because their sensors won't pick up anything" Gran was the one to explain things to Gloria, even if she did look like she was still reeling from the picture.
there is a beat of silence.
"So... do you know what pokemon it is?" I hear Victors hopeful voice.
"No idea! Trent?" I recoil at the sudden spotlight. Don't pass me the ball like this Sonia! "Nope, no idea."
"We found a whole new pokemon? Awesome!" Hop offered his friends a High five each, and while the girl was fast to reciprocate, the boy was deep in thought, leaving him hanging. He raises an eyebrow at Victor, who just sighs and shrugs at him.
"Like, what now? Do we do a bunch interviews about it? Go back there with a team of professionals? At the risk of sounding rude, I would rather to start my journey rather than do all that"
It was fairly comical watching the other two trainers reactions at the possibility, Gloria immediately begun explaining that it must have been a weezing making an illusion while Hop's eyes bore silently into the picture. Maybe he was considering deleting it?
I could barely fault them, while a new Pokemon is interesting and groundbreaking, I have been preparing both mentally and physically for this journey for a month, I would probably wimpod out if I have to put it off any longer.
"Sweeties please, calm down. Sonia will handle It"
"Yup! Don't worry, send me the picture and I will be on the chase."
"Oh thank Xerneas. What's your number?" Hop gladly putting his phone forwards, but Victor's face is a deep frown. Why? No idea, I genuinely don't understand people sometimes.
"Thanks Hop, I will hit up some of my friends and check it out myself! I will give you peeps full credit for the discovery when everything is said and done!" She clasped her hands together and mustered an assuring smile.
"Now that all that is resolved, anything else holding us here?" Gloria looked at all three of her traveling companions, her gaze was expectant, but not in a way that made me want to twitch and hide, nor made me feel insulted.
"Nah! All good here!"
"I'm cool with things."
"Awesome! Lets head over to the train station!" She raised her fist to the air to reinforce her statement
"Uh... we should probably drop in the center first?" I ventured, if they said no to that I would probably fold to social pressure.
"Shit. Right, center first, then we are hitting the road!"
I let out a breath I did not know I was holding. This journeying with other people might not be so bad after all.