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Max walks across the field giving a sigh at the webs everywhere, "I don't have anyone to clean this up today."

He pulls out a black pokeball and releases it. After the normal flash of light a three foot black porcupine with flaming quills sits up on its hind legs, a Quilava.

"Valla, would you please clean up these webs? Try not to burn too much of the grass if you can help it."

She sits up and much like Lenny, gives a salute before proceeding to start using her flaming tail like a broom to sweep away the webs.

Max then walks over to me and pulls a small pin from his pocket. It looks like a green and white, yin yang symbol.

"Here you go Kurt, my balance badge. Was a bit of a messy battle but a win's a win. I hope you take some time to train up your partners more before your next gym."

He's got a bit of a reluctant grin.

May pokes his side with an elbow, "Common Max, you know you should get over it by now, losing's part of the job for a gym leader."

He nods then looks at me, his expression seeming like he wants to make up for his attitude a moment ago, "So where are you headed next?"

Shaking my head, "I'm not overly sure. I plan on making the circuit though."

May chimes in, "I'll be starting myself here soon. I've always done the contests before, now that my husband is in the elite four I thought it would be fun to challenge him. I'm even gonna pick up a fresh starter and make a new team and everything!"

Max nods, "That reminds me May, Professor Birch called earlier. He asked if you could pick him up from the Oldale Town ruins on your way to his lab in Littleroot."

It would be really interesting to see the lab where the kiddos get their starters.

May tilts her head my way, "By the way, my father-in-law would probably reward ya pretty nicely if you let him get some data on your shiny Joltik. Plus, Littleroot has a ferry to Dewford for your next badge."

Welp I'm sold, "Sure why not. Those ruins sound interesting as well, maybe I'll have a chance at finding a fossil to take back to Rustboro."

Off to the side I hear a toddler crying, the woman stands up, "Alright Max dear, time for lunch. Your sister should be heading off before it gets much later as well."

Max nods, "sure Viv," and gives May a hug, "Alright sis, I may not be allowed to set limits by the league rules yet but you're different, see ya when ya got three badges!"

She laughs, "Oh don't worry, I'm saving you for last!"

Turning to me she's definitely excited, "Let's get going, my jeep is out back. It's good you're coming, especially since I'm not taking any pokemon with me."

"You're really going at it fresh?" We head outside while talking, "I'm sure you have some killer pokemon already."

Proving me right she stops to give the Snorlax sitting outside a hug, "Take care Munchy, I'll be back before ya know it!"

It gently pats her head before going back to eating a bunch of berries.

May turns to me with a nod, "Yup, I want a fun challenge and a big surprise for my husband."

Pulling a set of keys from her pocket she unlocks a red jeep and hops in the driver seat before leaning over to unlock the passenger side for me.

Starting down the small town road I ask, "So I thought gyms stick to a monotype theme?"

May waves her hand dismissively, "A decade ago, and maybe still for a few gyms or other regions. But the point is to educate trainers. Virtuous reasoning aside, the League knows that better battles means better viewership. Max is gifted at thinking out of the box. He's ran with our father's tradition of tricky Normal types as well as the locally found pokemon like those Mightyena."

Her smirk grows as we stop in front of the mart and center, "I think you made him mad tying up Breloom like that."

We go inside and up to the counter. Some dude brings me a tray and then takes my pokemon to the machines to get patched up.

While we wait I ask May some other stuff that crossed my mind earlier, "What happens If I catch a 7th pokemon?"

It can’t possibly teleport away like the show and games.

Her brow arches but she answers all the same, "The Pokeballs you keep are synced to your dex account as soon as you catch a pokemon. It takes in your fingerprints and gps data along with tracking your on hand catch count. Once you catch your 7th Pokemon, the ball locks until you come to a center and rotate your roster in accordance with the league rules. Barring emergencies of course."

Ha I knew there was a limit to the sheer level of nonsense on that show, "What about when you're not travelling?"

She leans against the counter, "You can set your home as a neutral gps point allowing you to have any number out, within reason. The police will fine you if you have some absurd number of pokemon running around your local neighborhood. On a related note, do you need to hit the mart before we leave? It's just next door, I assume you need more potions or balls?"

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Right," I should have more poke in my account after winning a gym battle right? "I'll hop over there if you don't mind waiting for my pokemon?"

Waving her hand, "No sweat."

I jog outside and next door, sure enough there's a small mart no larger than a Seven Eleven.

Walking up to the counter to find a nine or ten year old boy, "I need some pokeballs and a grape slurpee."

The kid drops his handheld game and stares at me, "You want what pee?!"

Ah, okay, I should have seen that coming, "I said I need to pee dude where's your bathroom, damn kids these days!"

In utter confusion he points to a back wall, "It's over there mister, pokeballs are in the front aisle."

After dodging an awkward situation and taking care of nature I come to the front rack. They are arranged like a vending machine, lined up in rows behind a glass window. To the side is a key pad, punching in a number displays the price before asking how many and a confirmation.

The more case sensitive balls are way outside of my budget, but I think a few great balls… are within range.

I voice my complaint, "These sure ain't cheap balls."

The kid at the counter snorts, "Whatever mister, make up your mind?"

Keeping a straight face, "I'll have some great balls."

This time he sprays his juice he was just drinking in laughter. I grab a few regular potion sprays and get rung up. The vending machine sent my selection straight to the counter.

On my way out the kid calls after me, "Have a good time with your balls sir."

While waiting for May I decide to call my doctor and tell her the good news. "Hey Lacy, first badge is in the bag!"

"Just like that huh?! I take it you caught another pokemon on your way over?" I can hear her laugh, "Did it listen to you in the battle?"

"Nope, the brute of a bat went and got himself a double knockout." Teasing a little, "I'll let Tesla know you had doubts she could solo the gym."

"Oh don't do that! She's such a sweet heart." a barely audible sigh, "I'm just glad you made it safe Kurt."

Probably shouldn't bring up the tree then, "I'm hitching a ride with May down to the lab next. Turns out she's going to compete this year as well."

"Say hi for me!" a pause, "Did you say she's competing?"

"Yup."

"Wow, so good luck fighting for second place."

I mean, she's not wrong... or is she, "They wouldn't put us in the same tournament tier would they?"

"No, I guess not. I've never really paid the pro scene much mind. She's no rookie that's for sure." I hear someone yelling one the other end of the line, "Welp, that'll be in tomorrow's headlines. Stay safe out there Kurt, please."

There's almost a desperation in her tone. Previously, whenever I brought up the pokemon journey topic, she'd get real evasive on the subject. "I will. See you before ya know it."

"Thanks Kurt, I can't wait." her tone shifts to a whisper, "When you get back we'll have ourselves a private celebration." speaking up again, "Assuming you don't get distracted by a wild Liepard."

I'll take that as watch out for cougars, "Nah, you caught me fair and square. See you soon Lucy."

Hanging up, "I've got to come up with better lines."

"I'll say," May laughs from behind me before handing over my pokemon, "That was sweet though. That was Lacy Cutter right? I'm happy for her."

"Lets get going, eh?"

Once we got on the road I ask May, "You are picking a new starter then, it's not free right?"

She nods, "Yup last time I got a Torchic, this time I'll be paying to help support the program but I'm sure my father-in-law, Professor Birch, will set me up. He said he has a nice new set for me to pick from. They get in other regions' starters sometimes to help encourage trainers to travel more."

Oh? "It's still water, fire, or grass right?"

Another nod as she keeps her eyes on the road, "You can pick from the traditional array, but five years ago the league started mixing it up some. Now kids can pick from one of the 3, region specific choices, or from other options."

"Does that ever create a risk of invasive species?"

May glances my way with a chuckle, "It's all tightly monitored, any one or two of the same pokemon given out months apart aren't likely to meet up and start a colony while their trainers' backs are turned."

Eyes back on the road, "Also, they've moved away from strictly fire, grass, and water types. It was decided a healthy mix was in order… jeez, you got amnesia or something?"

Or something, "Yup, it's the weirdest thing, I only can't remember personal information and pokemon stuff from the last decade or so. Even my name, Kurt, my new girlfriend came up with it."

She laughs, "Didn't let memory loss keep ya down huh? Lacy comes to Petalburg to check on Wally every few months. We catch up over drinks."

That guy, "You didn't seem to like him too much."

A sigh, "You might not guess, but he's the current league champ. My Brendan was champ until last season. Now he's stationed in Ever Grande City with the elite four while Wally, as champ, can simply be on call from home."

"On call?"

She glances my way again, "Forgot about the champ eh? They're tasked with large scale incident management as long as they're in the region, as well as former champions. The most recent unseated champ takes a spot on the elite four alongside three elected trainers."

Alright I get it, "Who are the current Elite Four?"

Counting on her fingers, "My husband Brendan, my father Norman, Miss Phoebe is on her last year, and finally Miss Zinnia. Phoebe will be returning to her home in the Alolan region. Zinnia was a troublemaker a while back but she's come around and has been a force to be reckoned with to any group causing problems in the region."

Now for the important part, "What teams do they run?"

May gets a competitive look in her eyes, "Dad uses mostly normal types, Phoebe uses ghosts, Zinnia uses dragons, and I'm not telling what my husband might use. Wally uses plants mostly."

She laughs and I can only think that's fair enough. But that limits me a bit on looking for any type advantages, I should probably look into a dragon type I guess.

Glancing at May again, "What kind of team are you looking to build?"

Her grin gets sly, "Hey mister we're competitors this year. Not that it makes too much of a difference. I'll pick a grass starter, need a flyer, a ground type for sure, a fighter, maybe a water. I think I want an ice pokemon, some of them are adorable!"

I think I see what's going on, "You're targeting your husband's team aren't you?"

Another laugh proves me right, "That's why I'm doing this to begin with so why not?"

Putting my hands up, "Sounds fun to me, good luck."

"Of course," she points forward, "We'll be there soon."

In the afternoon light I can see a small farming town in the distance as we crest a large hill coming out of the mountainous part of the region.

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