Compared to the little path carved from Wedgehurst to the professor's lab/house, I think I hate walking through this part the wild area.

Pokemon back home were quite fearless, even the bug types like blipbug and grubbin and even the usually shy charjabug were comfortable being out in the open in the view of a human. You could not turn your head without eyeing one or three pokemon.

There are no Pokemon in sight in the wild area.

Not saying that they are not abundant here. Many leaves around the path are munched, looking like a bug bit them. There are trails of many different Pokemon leading in and out the path we are treading. The gang is quite amused to see me guess what each of them are, before using their pokedexes to discover that, yes, I was correct on most tracks and- holy shit those are fucking pangoro tracks? we need to move in the opposite direction. I can hear bugs buzzing and birds chirping, also I think I hear a snorlax snoring? Its hard to be sure, it could be a rhydon snoring really really loudly, so we steer clear. Sometimes, the ground beneath us would shift slightly without reason, no doubt due to a Pokemon being active in the vast underground beneath the wild area.

There is no doubt in my mind that there is an abundance of Pokemon here and the level of biodiversity is ludicrous. And I have seen none of them. And that terrifies me. Slightly.

The good news is, that means nothing absurd tried to jump us yet.

That meant I could use the time walking to get in some psychic TE training for Goggles

According to the internet, learning to multitask was a good first step towards developing psychic TE.

So while we had Caduceus, Zarude and Ronaldo on bodyguard duty, besides getting them to stretch their legs, Goggles was flying laps around a nearby tree, and when the group approached the next tree, he would need to move to it before I called him out. The trees were very spaced out and unevenly spread here, so he had to pay attention to both us, and maintain the circle trajectory.

I thought it was a pretty nifty way to get a hang on multitasking, and thanks to Compound Eyes he never got us out of sight. Not that he got perfect scores the first time, his circles were wobbly and he needed me to call him to the next tree more often than not.

It was really funny seeing Gloria trying the same thing with Ronaldo, only for him to get lost running around a single tree and hit his head running straight into the bark another time.

Honestly that was a much needed levity after having all the hair in my skin stand up straight after those pangoro tracks.

"Man, I thought we were going to get jumped by at least a few zigzagoon at this point, or a croagunk. Maybe even a pissed off nuzleaf." Hop mused, looking at the slowly setting sun.

"Pretty sure a nuzleaf is the like, strongest thing in this part of the WA we can handle. And that is only cuz of the overwhelming type advantage of bug bite." Victor pointed his thumb towards the 'mon resting in my head.

"Goggles is kinda tired tho" "Yan~" that last yan from him sounded more like an yawn than anything, and considering he was training most of the afternoon it makes sense the little guy is dead on his wings.

"Neh. The sun is almost down, we should probably start camping, we can search for some wild Pokemon to train on tomorrow!" Gloria's usual enthusiasm is much appreciated after walking for almost 6 hours straight with only three breaks in between, but something about her wording made my skin crawl. "I mean with! With. We ain't gonna go around beating up random Pokemon like punching bags!"

All three boys sighed in relief.

"We... we should probably find a nice place to set up camp?" I risked asking. Camping the open road was a bit... exposed? It doesn't feel safe sleeping in the path everyone crosses. Even if my aching bones tell me to drop dead and sleep right this instant.

I felt a little lighter after the chorus of agreements.

Goggles was quick to volunteer himself to find a spot for the gang, but is quickly shut down by me and his own exhaustion, thankfully rotom phones care not for things like cell tower reception. (The wonders of champion money.), its very simple to use the map app to find a nearby spot that we can use to take the night off.

The sun was almost completely submerged in the horizon when we found a lakeside clearing. Obviously a spot where many young trainers came to camp their first night out in the WA, the log seats organized around the remains of a fireplace are the first clue, the second clue are the snack wrappings and empty cans the last trainers graciously left behind for them.

I can't really take the frown off my face as I compare this side of the river with the other riverbank. There must have been at least 6 people devouring chips and cola all night, this was maybe a week ago considering the varying stages of buried the trash is.

"Cunts." Gloria muttered.

"Alright. Let's divide tasks, everyone sets up their own tents, I can whip up dinner, Gloria and Hop can make a firepit, Trent, can you get cleaning duty?"

My head immediately snapped from the point in space I was vaguely stating at, my head lost in thoughts about trubish and garbordor formation, to stare at Victor, maybe a little bit dumbfounded. I did not hear what he said at all.

"Leave it to us brother dear!"

"You got it!"

"What?"

Victor's head suddenly snapping at me with a blank look on h

"Uh... cleaning duty? Cleaning up this mess is going to take a minute."

"Oh! Yup! Gimme a minute!" Now that I was not in wonderland, I needed to figure out a way to clean up this place before dying from exhaustion.

"Sob?" I see a little blue reptile emerging from Victor's large backpack, little guy got tired of walking, but losing bodyguards was not really an option when walking the WA, so the younger boy decided to carry him in his bag.

"You can go play in the river 'Duce, you did great work today!" After his trainer's affirmation, the sobble jumped off him and begun waddling towards the river, and soon enough both his friends run off to meet in the river shore.

"Scor!"

"Groo!"

"Yan?" I hear my 'mon plead from the top of my head. Even if I had not spent years and years with him, his question would be clear in mind. He wanted to go play with the other Pokemon.

But I really wanted his help in gathering the trash. A frown takes over my face while I ponder things.

An idea comes to me. "Just lemme borrow your fangs for just a minute?" I say as I move towards the trees, Goggles catches my meaning in an instant and flies over to a branch, not a particularly thick or thin one, and bug bites it off.

Bug TE cuts through inanimate plant matter like it is butter, no grass TE or the pseudomuscle common in grass types to reinforce it. The result of 5 well placed bug bites is a nice and pointy spear.

After the spear is done, Goggles drops it on my hands. It feels light enough. I pierce a nearby can of Manetric Energy Drink, and my frown turns to a smile as it sticks. "You can go have fun now Goggles!" The darter pokemon quickly complies, flying towards his new friends with a happy "yaaaaan!" On his trail.

A wooloo joined the trio playing in the river in the time we made a spear. Wooloo aren't supposed to be on this side of the WA, much less one so well groomed. One look around tells me that none of my journey mates are startled or care much for the sheep pokemon.

Eh. It should be fine.

From there on out, it was just spiking trash with my makeshift spear and dumping it into a plastic bag I brought along in case of getting myself poisoned and desperately requiring something to vomit in. A considerably easier task than bending down to pick something for my sore body. Still awful, since I kept finding more buried trash and some extra the river brought in the meantime. Seriously does nobody clean up after themselves in this region?

The chatter between the three other trainers is a pleasant background noise. I don't have much to add to the inside jokes and camping discussions, but there is something really nice about people just being comfortable around you to talk freely about anything.

Its well and good until someone blindsides me by asking me a question

"Do you want do throw something in the curry Trent? We have some sausage from Gloria and coconut milk from Hop" asks Victor while mixing a pot atop a fire pit.

Very innocuous question at first. But there are so many wrong answers to that one. Especially since...

"Uh... all I brought to eat are bacon flavored ration bars and pokechow for Goggles."

I thought that honesty would earn me the most points here. But their weirded out stares remind me that most people don't eat bacon and eggs as breakfast for 7 years straight without getting tired of eating the same thing.

"What." Is the articulated reply coming from the champion's brother. He looks personally offended by what I said. I need to fix this

"Uuhh... it was a package deal?" It was. But I was going to buy it even if it wasn't. I couldn't fit a portable frier on my backpack and I really needed a familiar taste every morning if I wanted to survive this journey.

"Oh. Sorry. My bad. Did not mean to make this awkward!" He quickly amended and went back to poking the stones around the pit to make sure we don't start a forest fire.

That was... weird? Hop doesn't get flustered like that easily. I look at Victor for answers, and he seems to be fully concentrating on the curry, unbothered by the interaction.

Did I say something bad? Did I raise a red flag? Am I such a bad liar? Are they assuming I am part of a secret bacon rations black market ring?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Instead of picking up trash with an absent-mind, I was racing inside my brain, trying desperately to find whatever the fuck domino I set off in the complex spider web that is Social Interaction.

Arceus, I was so out of it I did not even notice I had finished gathering the trash and begun just circling around in a haze.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

I collapse onto the log seats the moment I become aware of myself enough to see that my job is done.

Gods I am tired.

So much walking and social activity.

Suddenly everything smells really nice and I cant see anything.

Huh. When did I close my eyes? I am very tired

"Want a plate?"

I open my eyes and there is Hop, happy as can be, offering me a plastic plateful of curry. Fuck, it smells good. Fuck I am hungry.

However.

"I did not add anything in." It would be rude to eat it without contributing to the pot, it's basic camping etiquette. I should refuse.

"Nah man, relax! Sharing is caring, ya know?"

I hesitate. Now it would be rude not to take it? Legendaries keeping this all in mind is exhausting.

"Sure. Thanks a lot Hop."

And if Hop is saying it, that means I probably didn't majorly fuck up the previous social interaction.

Everything is fine. The food is heavenly (Victor is such a good curry cook holy crap). Hop probably doesn't hate me. This was a really good first day.

I slept well that night.

--- 9 and a half hours later ---

I lied sleeping in the wilderness fucking sucks.

While it was dreamless, soft sleep, my back fucking hurts. There were murkrow chirping, goldeen and arrowkuda occasionally doing flips in the river, and I am pretty sure someone very strong used earthquake somewhere in a fifteen hundred kilometers radius and my sleep got worse for it.

As a treat for enduring the night, I decided to eat 2 rations bars instead of one for breakfast. Obviously If I am treating myself Goggles also gets an extra helping of his favorite pokechow, but that is not the point.

Should I be envious of the other three because they are eating another full bowl of delicious curry? Probably.

But the hint of bacon in the rations is very homey. It feels safe.

There is a silence around the remains of the fireplace during breakfast. Not a bad silence, I never seem to have bad silences with them, but there is a happy atmosphere around between the sounds of our Pokemon and the uncharacteristic sunny day for Galar.

Its only when the plates are almost clean that Hop decides to break the ice.

"So. The opening ceremony for the circuit is like... in 5 days."

"Yes?" Victor muses

"Aaaaand we are only getting to Motostoke in 3 days right?"

"Yeeeeees?" Gloria questions.

"So... how about we take today off to try and catch some pokemon? We got time!"

"Oh. Sure! I did not have anything to do in Motostoke anyhow." In fact, I would like to spend as little time as possible in Motostoke.

--- Victor ---

If I knew Hop meant splitting the party for this detour, I would have objected vehemently against the idea. But my dumbass little sister and her one-track mind were already dead set on doing it, and Trent, as responsible and grounded as he seems to be, is a bit of a wet noodle when it comes to standing up for himself.

I was going to ask for a detour anyway, the 'mon I wanted to catch only appeared in a place nearby that riverbank, but the place is advised to 1-badge trainers by the day and 3-badge trainers by night. But according to the league guidelines, you should be able to brave areas one badge level above yours if you get 2 other people of a similar badge level to venture with you.

Of course. I am now venturing into it with only Caduceus and Mary as backup after I begged Hop to let me borrow her.

Like, 'Duce is easily a 1 badge worth 'mon already in terms of pure physicality, he just needs a little more moves and a trainer whose battle plans aren't easily dismantled by a back-flipping bunny.

I had been planning with him how to beat Gloria since she first defeated her rival, and she still won by just doing the first thing that came up on her head.

"Sob? Sob El?"

"Huh? Sorry got lost in thought." I scratch his little chin. So far, that is the only form of physical contact Caduceus is comfortable with. The internet told me sobbles love to have their crests played with, but apparently not 'Duce.

It was a shame. Physical contact is supposed to be a good method to bonding with your Pokemon. I need to research other methods and activities to help mitigate that.

"Wooooo!" Said the sheep rolling next to me.

"Yes, I am sure of it." I don't actually understand what Mary said, but wooloo aren't exactly known for being smart.

I am giving 'Duce an extra helping of curry for reminding me to look at the path instead of wallowing, I just need to do better next time I face my sister.

I am going to be champion after all.

Not long after that, a ping on my GPS warning me to back off told me I had found the place.

Mysterious Tower.

The last remnants of an old fort from 100-year war between Kalos and Galar. Ghost Pokemon frequently hang out here during the night, but ancient gollet continue to patrol the territory and maintain the tower.

Once this place was known as the pride of the river, but as all things built in the WA, it did not last long. Now the place is a scattering of ruined walls with one particularly large tower standing. And a hotspot for ghost, psychic and dark types.

I just need to not agitate the gollet in the tower, there shouldn't be any other murderous ghosts around during the day. According to the internet.

"Alright, you know who to look for right?"

"Sob Sob!"

"Loo Loo!"

The two Pokemons begun waddling and rolling around the edges of the clearing, I am frankly a but surprised by how... easy it is to work with Caduceus. Everything I read about Sobble on the internet made they seem like hell to train with. I dunno if it's because he was raised in a daycare or what, but he seems like a go-getter.

I am now alone in the middle of haunted ruins with the only guarantee there are no murderer-film ghost types around are strangers on the chatot forums.

Maybe this wasn't the smartest idea.

I force myself to start moving, checking to see if there are any gollet around, but they mostly seem to be concentrated in the tower instead of the nearby ruins.

I feel eyes at the back of my neck. Chilly winds that shouldn't be here in this weather. Wisps of smoke rising beneath the walls without any fire. But the gang of ghastly in the cemetery back home used to pull shit like this too! Not my first rodeo. I am not scared. Not at all.

I regret ever calling my sister reckless. This is 15 years of my life that could come back to jinx me.

I feel a finger tap my shoulder twice, when I turn around to look behind me, surprise surprise there is no one there. Fucking ghost Pokemon man.

I caught a glimpse of the prankster. Blue eyes looking at me from behind some cracks on the walls. Or is that purple? Already gone. Can't tell anymore. Well, I am looking for yellow eyes anyway.

I hear a scream. Not a horror movie "AAAAAAA" scream. But a "HEY GUYS I FOUND IT!" scream. Not like I can be sure what exactly it was since all I heard was "SOBBLE SOB!"

So i go in that direction. Pretty sure I get hit with a sneaky confuse ray on the way there, because I tripped once and my face went plummeting straight to the ground, and after I got up I ended up running face first into a wall. Running into obstacles was supposed to be Trent's endearing character trait arceusdammit!

I can't hear the ghost's laughter, but i can feel it laughing at me.

When I got to 'Duce's location, Mary was already there.

Well... this looks more like a rusted over lump of metal half buried in the ground than a Pokemon. . .

But it does have spheres in the right places...

"You are sure this is not a corpse?"

"... sob!" Was the reply accompanied by a small nod. Not particularly encouraging.

Well. Trent has nurse training right?

--- Gloria ---

Well. Maybe I did not think this through.

Ah well. Being lost is part of the fun of adventuring. If I enter a place I shouldn't the GPS will tell me.

Wait, I still have my phone, I am not lost at all!

I knew there was nothing to worry about.

The Pokemon in forest seem a lot less skittish this time. I mused about catching one of the cool-looking bird Pokemon that have been looking at me sharply from the top of a tree branch. But they seemed like a family, so I let them be.

I saw more of those pangoro tracks Trent pointed out before. I was tempted to go after them, a panchan or pagoro would be perfect for me. Well, if they want to come with, that is.

The deciding factor in not going that-a-way is the worried look Ronaldo gives me. It reminded me a tad bit too much of Vee's worried face when I plan on doing something the slightest bit fun. He would flip out if he found out, Hop would laugh it off, he knows I have tough skin.

I wonder how Trent would react. He seems to worry about a lot like brother-dearest, but he at least kinda sorta maybe gets where I am coming from? Overall, he is weird. But Vee and Hop are both weird, and weird is good.

He looks at me weird at times, but not the icky-weird-never-seen-a-girl-in-football-shorts looks, but the awkward-weird-holy-crap-you-are-cool look Hop gives me sometimes. I mean, it is still weird but in a flattering way instead? Point being: Weird.

Boys are confusing.

Besides, sometimes he is just... kinda sad? Maybe not sad, just anxious? Most of the looks he give me come after I help him get out of his own head. Its kinda hard to crack most of his expressions.

Right. Back at team-searching.

I spot a charjabug hanging from a tree. I consider it. Vikavolt look awesome, but Trent got this bug-boy vibe to him, and I don't want to steal his thunder when we get to the big leagues.

I feel a hand pushing my skirt "Scor! Scor!", Ronaldo is jumping up and down (as usual), pointing in a direction looking mighty excited about something.

"What is it buddy? Found a cool 'mon to partner uuuuu-" and then I saw it. A jewel hidden in the woods. My own personal piece of relic gold. I felt like I was looking at a shiny dragapult.

Hanging from a bush, was the biggest, juiciest, shiniest roseli berry I have seen.

Mum's roseli-pie was the BEST. Got the entirety of Postwick salivating every town festival. And she made two to celebrate me and Vee's getting our first mon's, and I believe it single handedly got Ronaldo addicted to roseli berry.

But we could never afford WILD AREA berries. That shit is fucking high dining expansive. Farmed berries do not compare in terms of flavor to wild ones (nutrients are basically the same, but fuck nutritional values), in the 15 years of my life, I only tasted 1 wild berry, an aguav one, a gift from a trainer passing through to the Crown Mountains during the festival of the bountiful king after we gave him a slice of roseli berry pie.

It was divine. It felt like my mouth was melting from inside itself. (I say that In a good way, I swear.)

I asked for dad for another a day later, but genuine aguav berries from the WA are worth about 200 pounds.

This could sell for 50 pounds on the market back home EASY, but naw, this going straight inside my be-

During my distracted amazement, a shadow jumped from the bush and grabbed the berry.

The form of a small, black and white Pokemon stared at me, my prize in their mouth. My brown eyes met their red ones. I glared at him with the fury of a thousand suns. Fucking zigzagoon.

"Drop it."

(She did not notice, but Ronaldo looked up to her expression, and glared back at the dark type in an attempt to mimic her.)

It left the berry fall to the ground a second later. Good. I woul-

"ZA ZA ZA ZA ZA!" It taunts. Then it decides to make a fart noise while it's sticking it's tongue out to me.And the little fucker takes my berry from the ground and bolts.

We give chase.

In this moment I am no longer Gloria Reedes, I am fury and rage incarnate. I am justice and I am speed.

"OI! YA FUCKING DUNDERHEAD THAT BERRY BELONGS TO ME-STOP RUNNING YOU SUNNOVABITCHIMMAGETYOURSTR-"

"SCOR SCOR!"

--- Hop --

Man. Searching for Pokemon is kinda hard.

Scratch that. Searching for a good Pokemon that would play nice with Zarude and Mary is hard.

Sure, now that the Pokemon 'round the forest are less skittish around me and Zarude, I can actually see some cool guys. I considered catching two timburr that were sparring nearby, but one of them tore a tree to shreds with what I assume is just a low kick, so they might be tiny bit above my badge level.

Awesome showing from the little guy tho.

There was a sentret that seemed kinda interested... but I send Zarude off to talk to him and they didn't really vibe from what I can tell.

Meh. Maybe I am just not paying attention. My mind isn't really here right now. I put my thumb on my forehead, trying my best to keep the embarrassment from yesterday to catch up with today...

I failed.

"...It was a package deal?"

AAAAAAAAA WHY DO I KEEP THINKING ABOUT THAT?

Seriously. I should have listened more when Gloria told me I was a fucking spoiled brat sucking from champion teat. Why else would someone bring that ungodly amount of rations to a journey besides money issues? It must have been the best meal per dollar ratio! Like, his mother is a doctor sure, but what about before? debt is a real fucking issue according to Gloria and Victor.

Damn nepobaby upbringing! Making me fumble at the worst times.

Money is supposed to make problems go away, not blind you to the obvious signs of poverty in front of you! He doesn't even have a poryphone! The lesser version of the rotom phone! Trent clearly is not comfortable around a patrician like me! That must be why he is so awkward!

Everyone saw him cry when he got a pokedex! Nobody mentioned cuz that be weird and insensitive when he clearly did not want attention brought to it, I thought they were happy tears! He must never have held something that expensive ever! He has a used tent and backpack that aren't even using silphspace!

Seeing my descent into panic within a second, Zarude quickly came towards me, hugging my leg like I might pass out at any moment.

"Groo?"

"Nono buddy! Nothing is wrong! I just did a stupid human thing last night! Nothing you can help me with." I pick him up giving my starter my best reassuring hug!

Damn you capitalism! Making me despair at a time like this! How can I be champion if I overlook things like that? I need to be better!

Man, Zarude is REALLY huggable. And his fur smells of fresh cut grass in the morning.

Caduceus doesn't seem to like much physicial contact and Ronaldo is too hyperactive to be a good hugger. Picking grookey was clearly the best starter choice.

"So, want to go back to trying to find a new buddy? We gotta get someone with drive to be a champion!"

"Groo!"

Just as my mood begun to rise, the atmosphere of the whole forest shifts. I start to feel the hairs of my body shooting upwards, like my whole body is suddenly in opposite polarity to my surroundings, and for but a moment I feel completely weightless. Then it begins. The startled cries of Pokemon likely fleeing the scene.

Leon talked about this chaotic scene of events, it was a lot more cool and less terrifying when he described it. But I know what comes next.

My head is already high and my eyes alert when a pillar of reddish light shoots from the earth.

Well. Time to do my duty as a Pokemon trainer and find an interesting Pokemon at the same time!