Chapter 33- Lostlorn Woods

Ok, so saying that the hotel we were staying at was luxurious was like saying that the water was wet. Thankfully, after what felt like an eternity of back and forth, we managed to convince Nana to take one of the less expensive rooms for us. It’s not like we were ungrateful or that we would go back to the conversation that we already had, but getting used to such luxury was too easy. Plus it wasn’t like I was making a unilateral decision since Sera agreed with me.

Despite that, the rooms that we ended up in were almost too much. I was expecting something like a dorm room or the like, but it was more than that. There was a small area that acted as a living room, a king-size bed, and a giant screen. It was still effectively one big room, but it was also a far cry from the simple bed and TV in the Pokemon Center. There was even enough space for a Pokemon that I would consider large to lounge around. How large? Mathew’s Sawsbuck and Mandibuzz, who were the biggest from our groups, would be able to be out and about at the same time if they pushed the unneeded furniture to one side.

Maybe I was hasty to reject their offers?

I hastily shook my head to get rid of this thought. It was the call of the dark side and should not be heeded!

Ahem.

Once we were settled, I opted for a quick shower before meeting with Nana and Pops. It felt like an eternity since I hadn’t seen them even though it was barely a few months. Much like I expected it, the traffic for Aspetia considerably lowered. There were still the occasional trainers coming through like Arnold. Not only one started in the same city after all.

Speaking of him.

I quickly opened Woobchat on my phone.

Nexon [05:13 PM]: Oi mate. Bit rude to hitch a free ride with my folks without telling me, innit?

Arnold [05:15]: Wow! Galarian Pokemon and now stereotypical text. Tsk tsk! I thought you were better than that.

Arnold [05:15]: Anyway they proposed it and I saved money. Win-win. You reached Nimbasa?

Nexon [05:16]: Yeah I just reached it earlier today. I hope you got better because we are settling the score during the tournament.

Arnold [05:17]: Last I checked it was my win so chill out dude. Also don’t you mean I’ll just increase the gap? (shrugging emoji)

Nexon [05:18]: We’ll see about that. Btw where do I register?

Arnold [05;18]: Any center should do. You should hurry up though I don’t know if or when they’ll close the entries.

Nexon [05:20]: Alr thanks we’ll rush now. Talk to you later.

Arnold [05:22]: {waving Snivy sticker}

That’s a neat sticker I should download a pack with Hatenna.

I smiled and settled the phone back in my pocket.

“So?” Sera asked as she walked closer.

“He said we should be able to register in any Pokemon Center. But we should probably hurry just in case.”

“Fine by me.”

“We’ll see you later.” I gave Nana a quick hug and we were off.

‘Sorry little princess but mind if I return you? We want to keep the element of surprise, right?’

She didn’t respond verbally but sent a reluctant acceptance through our bond. She still preferred to be outside, but she was at least reasonable when it came to situations like these. One of the plus of the hotel we were staying in was that there was a Pokemon Center in walking distance which was welcome in our situation. Once there, it was fairly easy to notice that hoping to catch a Pokemon Center room was just a pipe dream.

The space was absolutely packed. Trainers mulled about, chatting and laughing with each other. Others wore serious expressions and examined any movement that happened in the hall. Some of them snapped their gaze toward us as we entered before disregarding us. Rude.

I couldn’t blame them though, since they were the most experienced trainers. Probably a participant in the more advanced tournament. There was actually a small queue to reach the nurse, with only one of them being free presumably for treating Pokemon. They wouldn't want a trainer to wait to heal their Pokemon while others wanted to register. Thankfully the registration process was either fast or the lady was particularly proficient because after only a few minutes it was our turn.

“Welcome. Do you wish to register for the tournament?” She asked straight to the point.

“Yes!” We answered simultaneously while sliding our respective IDs to gain time.

She gave us a small smile and proceeded to type away at a ridiculous speed. Then she inserted the IDs into a scanner and repeated the process for the second one.

“Do you need the rules for the tournament, or do you prefer a pamphlet?” she asked while eying the queue that got longer behind us.

For the sake of the lady with the fastest finger alive, we took the pamphlet and stepped to the side leaving another to take our spot. The whole interaction took maybe 5 minutes, and we were out of the Pokemon Center. We exchanged glances and the speed, but we could only shrug.

“What do we do then?” I asked.

“Um…I think I will go to the Genesis…” she said a bit awkwardly. I had forgotten that she was excited about that.

“I’m impressed you held for this long. Alright then. I will probably explore the city for a while before going back to the hotel.”

There was no need to come back to the argument. We split up and went about our respective businesses. I took the time to also read the pamphlet regarding how the tournament would proceed.

The first would be the qualifiers round. It was simply put a bunch of matches in 1v1. Losing two matches meant that you would be eliminated from the competition. That would go on until there are only 32 trainers left. It would be brutal, to say the least, but it was also an effective way to cut down the numbers. After that, the true tournament would begin. The matches would be 2v2 until the semi-final where we would have a 3v3. The final would similarly be a 3v3.

The tournament was looking to be very spicy very fast.

I should think about expanding my team… it’s clear that a larger team will be advantaged for the qualifiers. But on the other hand, they will also reveal their roaster. Either way, I should see if there are any Pokemon in the area.

I was walking aimlessly around the city but now I had to backtrack to the Pokemon Center. There at least I could see if there were any interesting Pokemon and also see if there were any requests I could two. Two birds in one stone.

Going back inside, it was just as packed. I made my way to the bulletin board and already it was looking bleak. Most requests were snatched up with only a few left. I scanned it quickly but sure enough, there was nothing related to Pokemon. The only ones left were the easy ones or the ones too troublesome for people to do. But there was one that at least caught my eye. It was a simple request to bring some Medicinal Herbs that were growing on the outskirts of Lostlorn Forest east of Nimbasa.

I hesitated for a while before finally taking it. It wasn’t deep in the forest meaning I would be back before sundown and at the same time I would be able to see if there were any Pokemon who wanted to join me. Oh, and I might find a good spot to get a last burst of training out of prying eyes.

Damn, that sounds perfect. Who knows, maybe I’ll manage to convince a Zorua or Zoroark to join me.

I chuckled at the abysmal odds and went to notify the Nurse that I had taken the request. I also shot a quick text to the other about where I’ll be, so they don’t panic. With that, I quickly made my way toward the western part of the city, and thank Arceus public transportation was a thing because I did not feel like walking all the way there. Soon, I reached the connector to the eastern part of the city. A quick double check to make sure that there was nothing out of the ordinary later and I was out and about.

I immediately started heading north since there was a river running there, and the herbs are known to sprout closer to water. I also released Nike and Skoll since they were the best to sense the presence of other Pokemon, but also for protection. There shouldn’t be anything too dangerous in the area but I refused to be caught unaware.

As it turns out, walking in a forest is a lot harder than I had expected. The only thing remotely close to a forest that I went through so far was the one between Flocessy and Virbank and that was fairly light. Here instead, the trees were closer and the canopy was extensive. The humidity is also a lot higher and the rough terrain is not helped by the roots poking out here and there. All that to say, it was a lot harder to walk around than I thought. And this was just on the outskirts. Going deeper into the forest must be hell.

By now, I understood that to avoid tripping myself it would be better to leave carefully step on the ground, and look where I was walking. That left Nike and Skoll to be on the lookout. Speaking of Skoll, he looked somewhat happy to be back in a forest-like environment. After a few minutes of walking, we found a clearing that seemed almost purposeful, with only one tree in the center. The fact that it was the only tree with green leaves in a sea of brown meant that it was likely a berry tree.

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It would have made a good training spot if it wasn’t occupied. As I got closer, I quickly noticed that some of the leaves were moving. Not rustling but moving. It was only when one of them turned around that I noticed the tiny body of a Sewaddle. Shortly after, a bevy of Swadloon came from around the tree, spreading their cover-like leaves in a display of intimidation. They only stopped once a Leavanny poked its head out of the tree and dropped to the ground.

I also stopped advancing since there was no use in antagonizing a species that was known to be peaceful. I raised my hands with my palms out to show that I held nothing and certainly not a Pokeball.

“Sorry, I am looking for the river, you wouldn’t happen to know where it is do you?”

I tried but the only answer I got was a tilted head. At least she wasn’t being aggressive.

“Um, can one of you guys ask for the river?” I tried my own Pokemon.

Even though Pokemon could understand humans, it wasn’t always easy, especially with wild Pokemon. Thankfully I wouldn’t have this problem with a psychic type that could make sure that nothing was lost in translation.

“Trem, hatre-tre.”

That seemed to do the trick since she waved the little ones away before asking us to follow her. As it turned it wasn’t far from there and maybe 5 minutes after we started walking Skoll’s ears twitched and shortly after that I could hear water running its course. As soon as the trees parted way what created me was not one but two water features.

Ok, calling them two was a stretch. Maybe one and a half. It seemed like two different streams met there before flowing together, giving it a vague ‘Y’ shape if you squint your eyes. What’s more the smaller stream had a small drop, making it perfect for what I wanted to do. I pulled out my phone to put a pin on the map. Hopefully, it would take me an hour to reach this place the next day.

We quickly thanked the Leavanny and started our search for the herbs. It took us the better part of an hour to gather enough for the request and we made our way back to the city. Thanks to the map we were able to take the shortest path possible to get back. It would have honestly been better if they had included the streams on the map, but I guess the general public mainly cared about the shortest way to the different settlements.

All in all, it took us about 30 minutes, which was nice. That meant that I could spend the whole day training there before going back before nightfall. The best of both worlds. After a quick stop at the Pokemon Center, I made my way back to the hotel with the setting sun to light the way and a slightly heavier wallet.

Once I reached the hotel, I was quick to find Nana and Pops, both of them having settled in the outside area. There were other guests as well, all dressed in their finest clothes, sitting and discussing among themselves.

As I got close however I was stopped dead in my tracks by a familiar chill on the back of my neck. The same one I felt when I was in the Aspertia gym. I quickly spun around to try and locate the source of sensation but it was useless.

At least until I lowered my gaze and nearly jumped out of my skin. For a moment I thought I was about to move to another universe with a heart attack being the cause this time. My shadow met my gaze before its mouth grew wider and wider in a facsimile of a smile. Then it jumped at me.

Dodging was a lost cause as the Pokemon that was hidden in my shadow wrapped itself around me with no intention of letting me go.

"Godammit Missy! You almost killed me?!" I shouted reflexively.

But even then the angry tone in my voice faded when it met the cuddles and giggles from the Ghost type. Memories of playing pranks together flooded my mind, leaving me only laughing alongside Nana's Mismagius.

Giggles were not something you would expect to hear from a ghost type Pokemon, but as far as I know Missy had always been more of a go-lucky Pokemon than most. Sure she loved playing pranks on people and scaring you half to death from time to time, but which Ghost didn't.

It's actually been so long since I last saw her. Her ethereal cloth-like body was wrapped around me and I knew by experience that she would not let go anytime soon so I simply moved with her around to where Nana and Pops were dying of laughter while looking at something on their phone.

Something I quickly noticed was a picture of me taken the moment before Missy jumped on me. There were even quiet chuckles coming from other people who saw the scene.

Damnit! This was definitely their revenge because they didn't get to see my reaction to their surprise this morning.

On top of that, these guys didn't even bother to try and hide their schadenfreude. Regardless of the unbecoming attitude of such old people I simply enjoyed the presence of the ghost type.

'' Missy, let me introduce you to my friend. This little one here is Tiamat, next to her is Skoll, and here is my own partner Nike. Guys, meet Missy. She is one of Nana's first Pokemon and one who played with me a lot when I was a kid. ''

I introduced them and Skoll gave her a slight sniff while Tia just stared. The issue started as soon as her eyes met Nike. There were almost visible sparks flying between the two of them. Nike made her way to my head surprisingly swiftly, while maintaining eye contact and smiling. Only it didn't reach her eyes.

Missy similarly refused to back down and wrapped her cloth once more while pulling me toward me. All that while also maintaining eye contact and smiling without jet eyes. Her usual jovial smile was instead challenging. It went on until I had to break it off.

'' Come on Nike, be nice! You too Missy!'' I said after bringing the smaller one to my lap and getting out of the ghost's embrace. '' We are all a family so come on, none of that. ''

Their stare-down continued but at my insistence, they reluctantly agreed to politely ignore each other. It was better than nothing so it will do for now.

'' It looks like they are jealous. '' Nana chucked

'' So, how was the forest? ''

'' pretty good. Found a colony with a Leavanny and spotted a place to train for the tournament. ''

Pops nodded at my answer. '' Well, you can never have too much training. Just be careful the forest might be safe but it still can be dangerous. ''

'' Yeah, I'm not planning to go poking things that shouldn't be poked. ''

'' Good. Then be careful ''

The next morning, I woke up as early as I could without forcing myself out of bed. While waking up earlier would have made sense since I would have gotten more training in, it would also mean leaving before having at least breakfast with others. As it turned out, Sera got the same idea as me, opting for training solo until the beginning of the tournament. The only time we would see each other was when we ate or the day of the tournament.

After breakfast with everyone, I headed straight for the split-stream I located the day before. It would be where I would train. As I thought, going to the spot with a clear direction in mind was much faster. It was still very unpleasant but at least with the cool morning breeze, it was bearable. As we got close, I noticed some noise coming from the direction of our training spot. It was the sound of something sharp flowing through the air at great speed, intermingled with the occasional Pokemon call.

De!

Swish.

Ott!

Swish.

Pushing away the last barrier of leaves, I was surprised to see a Dewott of all Pokemon, training in the area. The sound I was hearing was the noise that its scalchops made when he moved them through the air. The movement it made was fluid and precise. Fast but methodical. It was something that made me understand why it was said that the art of wielding swords was improved by learning from these Pokemon.

Yet the sight was also something that I was not expecting. I couldn’t rely on my knowledge because it was impossible to find the stater species in the wild, but I wasn’t expecting to find one in the wild. Maybe it was released by a trainer?

While I was observing it, the water type finally noticed and with the same fluid motions, pivoted its body to face me, scalchop already poised to strike. Unwilling to create any more suspicions I fully stepped out with my hands raised.

“Hey, sorry I just came here to train we don’t want to bother you.”

With that said I moved opposite the wild Pokemon that kept me in his line of sight at all times. It didn’t help that Skoll was the one out at the moment and he was ready to throw hands as was his usual. I once more at to drag him with me.

Once I was a reasonable distance away, I released my other two Pokemon. Even from a distance, I could see the wild Dewott tensing up. I gave him a friendly wave that did nothing to relax him. He kept staring at us warily, but I couldn't blame him since my team was doing the same to him.

“Alright, Skoll come here.” I grabbed the attention of the fighting type and led him to a spot where the small waterfall was. “I want you to train Ice Punch against the waterfall. It should help you get an easier grasp of the move. You will try and freeze about a fist-sized part of the waterfall.”

This was something that I am not ashamed to say that I stole from the anime. I remembered Ash’s Buizel using a similar technique to train. I was skeptical about it, but after noticing how the air was noticeably cooler around his fists last time, I decided that it was something worth trying. He was a bit confused at first because to him it came out of nowhere but a bit more explanation convinced him to at least give it a fair try.

“Now, for you two.” I turned to Nike and Tia who were still staring back at the Dewott. “ Come on girls focus on me! Tia, I want you to use Rock Tomb up high!”

The ground type was visibly confused since we were supposed to train to use Earth Power, but still followed the command as about half a dozen rocks appeared in midair.

“Nike, grab them and put them in a line,” I ordered and the psychic type complied.

The falling rocks were enveloped in a psychic sheen before being gently lowered to the ground. even with her control, the ground shook and a small cloud of dust was raised.in barely a few seconds, training targets were now available for every move we needed. When I realized that I could have done that back in Mirage Village I felt incredibly stupid. Not only that, it also helped Tia train the move.

I sneaked a look behind to the Dewott and its expression was what I wanted to see. His mouth was hanging open and his grip on the scalchop loosened. Eyes darted between the tool in its hand and the rocks before he rushed toward the forest. I watched him for a while before shaking my head.

“Tia I want you to try and focus Bulldoze on only one boulder. It should help you narrow down the effects of the move. Finally, Nike, you will keep working on Misty Terrain and I will try to hinder you at the same time ok? I need to train as well and make sure that the move doesn’t require your constant focus.”

Well, it also helps me with my own abilities but you don’t need to know that.

“Alright team, let’s get going!”

“Rio!” “haatree!” “ Traa!”

That marked the start of our training session. I also periodically checked on Skoll and Tiamat to see their progress. For my part, I was also making progress and maybe I should try and see if I can levitate things at some point. Soon…ish. Regardless, a few hours into our training we were interrupted by the rustling of bushes.

We all stopped what we were doing and stood ready in case an aggressive Pokemon was coming closer. We only relaxed when a familiar Leavanny popped her head out of the bushes. To our surprise she wasn’t alone as soon after she fully exited the bushes, Dewott exited as well. And it seemed to be holding something in a buddle of leaves. The Leavanny made its way to us before pushing the water type forward. It hesitated for a bit before pushing the bag toward Tiamat.

“Dewott- De- ode.”

Tiamat simply looked at the makeshift bag of berries and the Pokemon offering it blankly before tilting her head. Then she turned to me. I could only shrug and turn toward the designated translator of our group.

“Nike, do your thing please.”

The psychic type was more than happy to help and an intense discussion ensued. Finally, they seemed to reach an understanding.

‘Berry for rocks. Wants to train.’

‘So, he wants to train on the rocks from Rock Tomb and wanted to pay Tia with some berries?”

An affirmation was all I received. That situation was interesting, to say the least. I knew that Pokemon were interesting but to actually propose a bartering is something new to witness.

‘What about the Leavanny?’

‘Gave berries.’

That was even more interesting. She just stood to the side and watched the whole thing happen and even gave the berries for Dewott to exchange. Well, they are one of the species that often take on a motherly role, but it is still surprising.

“Nike, can you help with the translation?” once my partner nodded I went down to the level of Dewott to speak to it, or rather him. “Hey, we will be coming here tomorrow and the day after. If you want to train feel free because it also helps us. Although one of us might want to fight you at least once.” I said and eyed Skoll.

I could understand him. They were of similar height and both seemed to be battle nuts. To be honest, I wanted to ask him to join my team at the same time, but I guess I could see how that would work in the coming days first.

Once Nike conveyed what I said the water type glanced at me briefly before nodding. Also, we decided to have a meal with the berries he brought. Leavanny was seemingly satisfied with the outcome and waved at us before returning to the colony’s tree.

“Alright. Tiamat use Rock Tomb over there!”

For the second time today, rocks coalesced out of type energy before dropping to the ground. She also used the opportunity to create more rocks for herself it seemed. As soon as the rocks manifested, Dewott didn’t hesitate a second before sprinting toward them. He had already unsheathed his scalchops before reaching the rocks and fluid strokes of the bio-weapon bit into the stone, sending shards flying.

Damn, that’s some serious power.

Seeing Dewott's dedication and the impact it had on my team was invigorating. The intensity of the training session increased, with each of my Pokémon pushing their limits. The atmosphere was charged with determination, and I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride.

“Alright, let's keep this momentum going!” I encouraged, clapping my hands to keep the energy up.

Skoll continued his relentless practice with Ice Punch against the waterfall, his focus unwavering. The area around his fists grew colder, and before long, tiny crystals began to form on his fur. He was making progress, and it was only a matter of time before he perfected the move.

Tiamat focused her Bulldoze on individual rocks, the ground shaking slightly with each concentrated effort. She was learning to channel her power more precisely, which would be crucial in battles where control could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Nike's Misty Terrain training was coming along well. The psychic type was learning to maintain the move without constant focus, allowing her to fight more effectively while the terrain provided support. I occasionally disrupted her concentration, simulating battle conditions, and she adapted quickly.

As the day wore on, we took short breaks to rest and rehydrate, but the training never stopped for long. Dewott’s presence was a constant reminder of the dedication required to excel. He was like a mirror, reflecting the effort and determination my team needed to display.

By the time the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the forest, we were all exhausted but satisfied with our progress. Dewott was still miles away in his training intensity, but my Pokemon had shown significant improvement as well.

“Alright, team, let's call it a day,” I said, stretching out my arms and legs to shake off the fatigue. “Great job, everyone. I’m proud of you.”

My Pokémon responded with tired but happy cries, and we made our way back to the city. Dewott gave us a nod of acknowledgment before heading off in his own direction. It seemed that even he was impressed by the progress made in only a day’s worth of work.

Back at the hotel, I took a quick shower to wash off the grime and sweat from the day’s training. Dinner with Nana, Pops, and Sera was a pleasant affair, filled with lively conversation and laughter. We shared stories of our day, while of course keeping any juicy bit to ourselves. I recounted the encounter with Dewott, which surprised everyone.

It was safe to say that overall, the tournament promised to be full of surprises.