“So what are your plans for the Gym? Think you can win first time?” Sam asked his two companions.

With the crash course class on how to be a trainer done, all that was left was to start their Pokemon journey. The last week had been hectic. All the Pokemon Gyms had shut down, not accepting challengers. It was all in preparation for the flow of Trainers that swarmed together at the start of a season. They were all looking for their easiest Badge.

Everyone was encouraged to at least give a Pokemon profession a try. It was so ingrained in their culture that anything not connected to them was fringe at best. Even business classes were turned over for their lesser pay.

“Maybe, It depends on the Pokemon I get put against.” Levy replied.

Each Battle was chosen at random by lottery. One of the middle management Helpers was assigned 2 Pokemon at random to battle challengers for their first badge. Cheren was too important to handle the bottom feeder, not to mention the time it would take for all of them.

One random Pokemon who wasn’t Starred yet was paired with one who had just broken through to the middle of the first star realm. It allowed the challenger a general idea of what to expect without having one strategy prepared for a specific team.

“I'm hoping I draw a Herdier or a Deerling! That would be such a cool fight.” Sam laughed.

“Those are the hardest first Badge draws, Sam.” Levy rolled her eyes at him.

“Yea I know! Gotta prove myself, ya know!” He smiled.

Lilith got tired of rolling her eyes at his antics.

“You have two Pokemon, it’ll be an easy battle no matter who you face, Levy and I are going to have to beat them with only our Partners.” She said.

About a week ago, Sam had been outside training with Darumaka by themselves. A wild Pokemon had jumped out of the trees and ambushed them. It wasn’t anything local so it had caught them off guard, not having the Pokedex for reference. The small spider fought them with all his might, but was no match for her flames. It had good supporting moves, so after the battle the tiny Joltik joined their team. Sam wasn’t looking for any particular type, only what felt right for him at the time.

“She’s right, with Joltik’s speed control, your win is guaranteed. You just have to start out with Darumaka and you can easily finish off the first weaker Pokemon. Then you can use your one switch to pivot into Joltik. String Shot and Electro Web shut down the opponent’s speed before they can even get started. If he falls then Darumaka is in the back to sweep up the leftovers.” Levy analyzed.

Analyzing was the thing that Levy and Lilith bonded over. The two girls loved breaking down a fight and figuring out what was a good strategy vs a bad one. What had worked, vs what hadn’t. Darumaka and Axew were virtually tied for strength in a 1v1. If Joltik was taken into consideration, however, Sam would win. Numbers were just too strong in the early realms of power. They were always looking for a way around his new found advantage.

“But Darumaka could take on any early one Star, even if she's a little winded from the first battle. I’m the one who should be worrying.” Lilith said.

Absol was hovering around the 1 Star area but going up against 2 Pokemon consecutively was difficult, especially if the last Pokemon was going to be equal in strength.

“Ah, your girl will be fine!” Sam laughed.

He had full confidence in Absol. Her change in personality shocked even Levy. She was nice and sweet with Lilith. But once she started fighting, it was like a whole other person was in control. She emulated her Partner’s hidden viciousness. There was no quarter in a fight, no holding back.

“He’s right, you know. The no star Pokemon in rotation are Lillipup, Patrat, Buneary, Pidove, and Minccino. You can take them with a good strategy, it's just the 1 star you have to worry about. It’s like Sam said, drawing a Herdier or Deerling would be bad.”

“Yeah, I want to go and practice for Herdier. A Deerling wouldn’t be able to touch Absol.”

***

Lilith suffered through the rest of the day, staying up until the evening training. Her sleep schedule had to be fixed temporarily due to the founding day festival. It was a Region-wide celebration that kicked off the new year and a new League season. It was easily the most important day of the year. She and Absol went to bed once the sun had set, and after much tossing and turning, the new day greeted her.

She rolled out of bed with a groan and got ready for the day. She could already hear the racket outside, as people danced in the streets in celebration. Their apartment was definitely downtown, but nowhere near the center of Aspertia. It was there that the broadcasted announcement would be made, along with the center of the party.

Lilith had grown much more confident over the days, and walked the streets with Absol. No one had stopped her, or even tried to make a move. She turned her attention to the festivity.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Streamers lined the streets as they hung from lamp posts. The streets had been all blocked off, and foot traffic dominated the center. Different festive stands sold souvenirs and food, lining the streets with yummy sights and smells. Pokemon were out in mass. It was hard to tell the exact ratio, but there was easily a 1 to 1 relation.

Lilith saw the occasional unique Pokemon like a pair of Mienfoo and Mienshao, but most were locally caught. Pidove sat on peoples shoulders as Lillipup ran in circles. It reminded her of the time in the forest. It seemed like a lifetime ago, as a Purrloin chased a Whimsicott floating in the wind. Kids laughed as they chased after them. Patrat scurried about, making trouble. The mood was infectious.

Lilith walked towards town square.

‘Is it a town square if it's not a town but a city?’ She wondered. ‘Or is it a Plaza?’

Lilith glanced at her Pokedex that held the time. It read just before noon. She marveled back to the time when she had to use the position of the sun to tell the time. The broadcast would start soon as she hurried to her destination. Lilith stood at the outer rim as people packed themselves in like sardines. She disliked being too close to others, so the only viable option was furthest from the stage.

A large wooden structure had appeared where cars and Pokemon rode, just the day before. It acted as a stage, with a large cloth screen draped behind it. The curtain was easily the largest she had seen thus far. It spanned hundreds of meters and played promotional videos for different local businesses.

‘Guess advertising is the same in any world.’ Lilith chuckled to herself.

Different Pokemon food brands or children's toys were shown. They were interesting for the fact that they were all new. She cared little for remembering brands, having enough of them in her old world. It took some time, but the final promotion was played just before 12. The screen went dark as a timer appeared on screen. It ticked away, counting down to the start of the festival. Lilith browsed the crowd, looking for anyone she knew. The time went by rather fast, as there were innumerable stimuli to keep her occupied.

No one got too close to her or Absol. The rumors about her and her Partner had obviously gotten around. No one acted hostile or bothered her. She didn’t mind the stares as long as that was all it came to. It gave her plenty of space to work with.

Lilith had found no one to stand with as the screen turned on. Everyone looked up towards it in excitement. Many people appeared on screen, all huddled together in a group. She recognized some, but most were unknown to her. They all looked like the administration type, with a few notable exceptions. The two people flanking Alder were definitely Trainers. They had that air about them, the way they held themselves was telling. It helped that she recognized one of them.

Iris stood to his left as an older gentleman was to the right.

“Welcome everyone to the 762nd year of our Unovan calendar! As everyone knows, I’m Alder, the Champion here along with the previous Season’s tournament winner! Please give it up for Hilbert everyone!” Alder spoke.

The crowd went wild, as Alder had them eating out of his hand. He acted more like a hype man and politician than a Champion.

‘Just another reason not to be champion.’ Lilith thought.

The position didn’t line up with her goals. She wanted to be free, not tied down to lame speeches. Hilbert on the other hand intrigued her. The tournament at the end of each year was just one of her goals in the long term. Emboar flanked the new Trainer as she got a better look at him. His Pokemon denoted that he had been sponsored by the League, years before. It was one of the few ways for someone to get their hands on the starters.

The screen rippled as the picture shifted away from them. Hilbert and Emboar stood in an open field. The video was obviously pre recorded, as he had different clothes on than previous.

“It is an honor for me and my Partner, Emboar, to unleash the new year! To the next season!” He shouted while throwing one arm up into the air..

The camera panned out as Emboar started glowing red hot.

“Let’s show them all! Burn Up!” He shouted while trying to strike a cool pose.

Lilith wanted to facepalm, there was no way she would embarrass herself like that. On command, the grass surrounding the large pig shriveled up. It twisted into an ugly yellow before the very air was set alight, burning everything in its wake. The image started to ripple as the air was bent like one would see in a desert mirage. Flames washed out over his body, as they flew around Hilbert, leaving him untouched.

“Ahhh!” The crowd went wild.

It was tradition for the winner to show off their most powerful move. It acted as a deterrent for crime and other unsavory people that had their eye on the Region. Epic music played until the screen faded to black. After a short transition, they were back in the meeting room. Hilbert stood before a podium and gave his speech.

“Thank you everyone for this great honor. I hope that my journey will inspire the one to follow after me. Not just to become like me but to surpass me! To usher in a new era of prosperity for the Region of Unova!” He paused for dramatic effect.

“By the power invested in me by the League of Unova! I hereby announce the start of the 763rd Season!”

After the announcement was over, Pokemon let loose cries that filled the entire city. The new season had started. Gyms were now open for challengers; a large wave of Trainers would soon fill their halls. Lilith’s journey had officially begun.

She pulled out her Holo Caster immediately after the announcement to schedule her first challenge. The kids who attended Cheren’s Trainer School got first crack at placements, and she wanted it scheduled before anyone else. Each Gym had a set number of people they could go through each day, so she had to hurry before they were all gone.

The menu popped up for all available times. She scrolled through, looking for the nighttime battle. Each was an hour long interval and went well into the night, much to her delight. She clicked on the 9pm time slot and hit enter. With the battle so late, she would have enough time to go back home and grab a quick nap. The Caster dinged, confirming her time. She was all set. The last thing she had to do was to send a quick message to Levy and Sam before heading home. They had planned beforehand, wanting to witness each other's battles.

It was less about supporting one another, and more about knowing what to expect from the format, for Lilith at least. She couldn’t speak for the others. By the time she got home, both had already messaged her back their times.

Sam would go first at 7pm followed by Levy at 8.