5:02 A.M. July 1, Wednesday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event)

Events: The Joint Kanto and Johto Indigo Summer League is at its climax; the grand final for each bracket of the Summer Round Robin Cup is here, where Trainers from each Tier will be named Seasonal Best, and at 6:30 P.M. the momentous event to determine the fate of Vermilion Gym—Saria Surge vs. Visquez—will begin.

Our girl started her journey on the 9th of June—she’s been a Trainer for 22 Days (21 Officially; 22 since getting Maya and Nova).

Saria Surge shot up in bed, nausea rolling through her turbulent stomach as she threw off her sheets, displacing Addie, her Comfey, while rushing to the hotel bathroom to vomit. Sweat slicking her skin, she coughed, tears leaking out of her eyes while trying to ease her thumping heart.

Her current team gathered around her spirit, Addie floating after her to drape over her head in worry. “Ack—no, heh, no … I’m fine…”

Wiping her mouth, she groaned, tight stomach squirming as the hundreds of Pokemon she was bonded to in their virtual world sensed something wasn’t right, but Addie quickly took control and reassured them she was fine.

Saria waited for the stress-induced morning nausea to pass, rising and falling chest slowing in its rhythm. “It’s almost time, guys… everything ends and starts today.”

Breathing out a long puff of air, she flushed the waste, got up, and filled her mouth with water at the sink to swirl it around and spit it out. “Blah … Hmm…”

Inja, her Gardevoir, exited her pokeball in the other room with Zaneeta, her Mawile. The Embrace Pokemon floated by her to start the bath, making sure the water was cold as she psychically communicated with her.

“We’ve practiced our entire life for this, Saria; believe in yourself.”

Splashing her face with water and trying to clean last night’s half-digested food from her long blonde locks, she accepted the towel from Zaneeta as she offered it but wore a glare so true to her personality.

“Hehe, maybe I am a bit stressed… I know, Zaneeta, but it didn’t really hit me until now … We face Visquez tonight … Wow, Dad really set everything up…”

“He believes you are ready to realize your dreams, and so do we.”

She removed her garments and tossed them into the hotel’s automatic combination washer and dryer before sinking into the cold water, her three Pokemon remaining nearby—Saria eased down until it was up to her chin, allowing the chill to soak through her.

Her remaining three Pokemon hadn’t been sleeping well themselves; they weren’t among the strongest of Saria’s partners, but she’d concluded even so, they would be needed to face Visquez. Wanting them to have as much time to rest as possible, Saria reassured them and asked that they get some more sleep.

Inja connected their minds with her Telepathy, allowing Addie and Zaneeta to communicate freely; she’d always thought her male Comfey’s voice was soothing as he settled at the tub’s edge.

“Don’t push it down like you usually do, Saria; talk to us.”

“Right? She’s so—gragh—oh, look at me, I’m a strong woman that doesn’t need no one. Yuck!”

“C’mon,” Saria groaned, dull blue eyes drifting to her Mawile, who returned the look. “That’s a low blow, Zaneeta.”

“Indeed, it was,” Addie huffed, crossing his tiny arms. “Why are you bringing up Zack when she’s stressed about the match tonight?”

Inja sighed. “Because she likes him.”

“Better than all of the other men you’ve dated over the years, and you’ve ghosted him for two days; not cool, Saria. You’re doing your normal thing, only thinking about yourself and pushing people away. He’s a good guy, and he doesn’t deserve that.”

“Mmgm … Can we drop it, Zanny? I’m trying to focus on our match today.”

“Excuses. If you were honest, I wouldn’t have to bring it up,” she grumbled, hopping on top of the toilet seat to cross her arms and bring around her frowning second head.

“Peter, Steven, Tyler, should I go on?”

Addie rubbed his head. “If it is bothering Zaneeta that much, it will probably affect the battle.”

As her oldest Pokemon argued, Saria had slid further to submerge half of her face, blowing bubbles in minor frustration.

“It does bother me,” she growled. “You deny it all you want, but you sabotage every relationship you're in, and I’ve watched you go through depression cycles time and time again. I know you’re thinking about breaking things off again, even though you love him—and I know you do!”

“It’s not that simple,” Inja whispered to Saria’s relief. “You know it’s more complicated than that; ever since the end of the war effort, we’ve been traveling non-stop. All of her previous partners just drifted away because they had different goals.”

“And you know it’s not that simple, Inja; you’re just feeding into her inclination to bury her head! There were plenty of opportunities for her to make things work, and the more I’ve learned about human courtship, the more I see it’s Saria’s problem, yet she keeps getting involved with these men that she’ll just leave… I don’t like it anymore.”

“Is this really the time, though?” Addie asked. “Saria—the three of us—we’ve worked for so long to get here. Shouldn’t we be more united than butting heads?”

“Mmmh…” Inja’s concerned red irises drifted between them. “Zaneeta feels strongly about this, Saria.”

“She’s just being herself,” Saria mumbled while rising to the surface again and releasing a long stream of air. Beginning to wash herself but reserving the majority of it until after her morning exercise, she figured she had to compromise. “Alright … what do you want me to say, Zenny?”

“I don’t want you to say anything; I want you to be true to yourself and not scared… Your dad didn’t teach you to run away and hide; he beat the fight into us. You need to let someone in again; even Inja will tell you you’re not emotionally healthy.”

“Yes, well… few humans tend to be.”

“That doesn’t negate my point!”

A small smile lifted her lips as she washed off the sweat and dead skin from her night terror, the nightmare that she’d lost. “You should know how hard it is for me, Zenny—about twenty-four years we’ve been together; since I was five… You were there.”

“We both know Barlo would have wanted you to be happy instead of miserable and make other guys miserable at the same time.”

Saria’s lower lip tucked under, a shiver running through her frame as she breathed, remembering the sandy blonde-haired young man that had protected her when they’d made a supply run for her father.

“I don’t know how long it’s supposed to take,” she whispered, legs knotting. “Nine years is a long time—I know I’ve hurt a lot of guys, but… I can’t stop trying.”

“Yes, it hurt that he died in the war, but we’re here… Zack’s here for you, too … if you let him in, Saria. Only us and your dad know how much that affected you.”

Still in the icy water, a hot puff of air passed through her nose as she tried to hold back the tears from the sting in her chest. “What if he says that’s too much… I’m too broken—I should get help or something and just abandon me… I know you won’t abandon me, but … I don’t know… I’m scared.”

A melancholy smile touched her eyes. “Heh, I’m about to try and take my dad’s seat—to be a High Master—to hold everyone in Vermilion on my back…”

Addie’s voice softened. “You still feel inferior to your father and like you can’t handle a Gym Leader’s responsibilities?”

Saria leaned her head against the tub, staring at the ceiling, and recalled all the times men had asked her what they could do to salvage things; this wasn’t new, and she doubted if she could have a relationship while putting the City-State first as a Gym Leader should. Then again, her parents had apparently made it work.

So many times, men had rearranged their whole lives to conform to what she needed, attempting to be there or trying to understand the depression she’d go through whenever it was the anniversary of Barlo’s death.

She lifted her hands to press against her left breast, the strong image of her father’s stalwart figure in Saria’s mind. Father lost mother… my brothers… everyone but me, yet he stood firm for many years. I didn’t know any of my family, yet he never once tried to hold me back or keep me caged in out of fear of losing me.

Soft tears slid into the water. “How is he so strong?”

Inja’s head lowered, hands held against her own chest as she resonated with her. “You are forgetting the days he left to walk Vermilion, Saria … I was young, but I felt his pain, mixed with solitude… Even your father feels heartache.”

Zaneeta’s head and second mouth nodded at the same time. “Saria, I know the stress you’re under isn’t just about achieving the dream you’ve worked so hard for… Next week is the anniversary.”

“I know you don’t usually bring it up on purpose,” Saria whispered. “I… half wonder if my dad purposefully scheduled it to be during the Summer Cup for that purpose … To see if I was worthy of it?”

Inja firmly shook her head. “Not to see if you’re worthy—your father knows you are … He wants you to prove it to yourself.”

Unable to articulate a response, Saria allowed her swirling emotions to wordlessly pass through her bond; naturally, the other three couldn’t sleep, given the heavy conversation that they’d walked on eggshells for years around.

Her emotions started to ease, yet something else soon arrived to spin things into a cyclone. Inja gave her a sad smile upon communicating the evolving situation and Zaneeta grinned.

“What did I tell you!”

A knock sounded at the door down the hall, Inja connecting their minds.

“Zack… Did you have your Claydol transport you into a no Teleport zone? Are you trying to be arrested?”

“Are you okay, Saria? Kayla said you were in trouble, and I haven’t heard from you in two days … Eh-heh, did I just cross a line?”

Saria muttered a soundless curse under her breath at the oversensitive Indeedee that had probably used an all too willing Zaneeta as an emotional tether. He was just being sweet—their Pokemon, on the other hand, were the meddlers.

“Yup, I’m fine—and no, I think it’s sweet, but eh … just a little unexpected,” she lied, returning Zaneeta’s soundless jabbing finger in her direction. “Heh, you should probably think up an excuse for when the Silver City Police get here to cart you off.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Eh-heh, yeah, I guess I got a little jumpy with the whole recent Plasma incident; if they managed to get to the Rockets’ daughter … I’m glad you’re okay. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Mmh-hmm, it’s not like I’m applying to High Master-tier or anything right now,” she giggled, feeling a little amused and happy he’d go this far to check on her when he was in the Mid Master-tier. “No, but thank you for checking on me.”

“I’ll uh, go get ready for the day. Hehe, I’ll talk to Kayla … What do you mean she’s clearly lying… Kayla, we need to talk about boundaries.”

Luckily, Inja had cut the Telepathy for Zaneeta as she growled, “No you don't! Stop gaslighting him and giving mixed signals!”

Ignoring her for a moment, Saria shifted in the water to glare at her Mawile with Addie. “I’m still getting up; why don’t you—oh, here come the Police, hehe—umm, get everything sorted out, and we can meet up at Noon. Sound good?”

Zaneeta huffed with a short nod, Inja dolefully acting as the middle woman as usual.

“Oh, uh, Noon? Y-Yeah, I was hoping to have some time with you before—uh-oh…”

“On the ground! Pokemon in their balls!”

Inja projected her thoughts to the onsight Police. “This is Saria Surge. Be gentle; his heart is in the right place.”

“Are you okay, Ms. Surge?” a policewoman shouted in the hallway.

“I’m fine; he’s my boyfriend…”

“Even still, he performed an unauthorized Teleport in city limits; we’ll need to take him in for questioning and a write-up of an abuse of Moves.”

“Understandable.”

Zack’s voice was barely heard as they escorted her boyfriend out of the expensive hotel her father had booked for her. “I apologize for the disturbance and wasting your resources, Officers.”

“Yes, it worked!” Zaneeta snickered, confirming the conspiracy.

“Look what you did—was it worth it?”

“I got you to meet him, so, yes!”

“Ughg—you’re unbelievable; his Claydol is already in trouble.” Getting out of the cold bath, she snatched the towel Zaneeta playfully offered with a bit of force to dry off. “Urcher is one strike away from spending a week in forced solitary.”

Addie was the one to chuckle this time. “True, but you must admit the two of you had a blast sneaking into that Art Exhibit after hours.”

“Well, it was pretty romantic and wild,” Saria unwillingly confessed, smiling back at the date Zack had set up that ended in him getting carted off just like this; running from the nighttime guards, and he’d even managed to keep her out of the report by using Urcher’s Teleport, which had landed him in hot water.

She hadn’t expected the innocent troublemaking from Zack, but he always had a way of making things exciting and fresh. Dressing in her sportswear and tying back her hair, everyone but Inja returned to their pokeballs for her to begin her morning run.

The Embrace Pokemon floated nearby as she exited the hotel, waving at the morning staff; Silver City currently had a one Pokemon out rule because of the dense population that the Summer Cup brought. There would be people out at this time, yet not enough to impede traffic.

Finding a woodland path that would take her to a nearby hill jogging trail, she inserted her wireless headphones and allowed Inja to control their music like usual, projecting it to the others.

Saria pushed herself, trying to moderate her aura and stabilize it to the minor degree she was able; at High-Master, Trainers’ physical aptitude had reached its peak, which opened up a way to use their Fortitude themselves rather than only being able to give it to their Pokemon or sense it.

Sweat dripped down her brow as she went, and Saria was only channeling the tiniest amount of her Fortitude that would make her Pokemon roar with laughter; she was practically a baby Pokemon just getting her first taste of a Trainer’s energy.

Only thirty minutes into her run, she was leaning against a tree, gasping for air, and taking the second bottle of water Inja offered to rehydrate along their path. She’d easily passed multiple couples and joggers, stunned to see her zipping past them and calling out to her to cheer her on, but Saria was a bit disappointed in herself.

“I’m… slower,” she growled, rubbing her brow and puffing out a hard stream of air.

Zaneeta asked her to take a look at the times for the last few days; the downward trend wasn’t new.

You’re saying it’s because I can’t properly stabilize my spirit?

Inja hummed softly, psychically returning the empty bottle to the bag hovering beside her. “You have been far more unstable than typical, which is no surprise; the upcoming match and date … I’m proud to see how much you’ve grown over the years.”

Hmm … Still, it’s not enough, Saria sighed, stretching a little and trying to keep her blood flowing. I’m still mad at you, Zanny… but you’re right. Mmgm, I know you love me, and you’re trying to go to the root. It… just hurts.

“Ugmh-mgmm … What am I going to tell him?” she groaned.

“Tell who?”

Saria hissed, eyes closing before slowly turning to see Visquez’s gleaming dark skin rounded the last corner and slow to a walk; Mac, her Raichu, jumped up to her shoulders, and her long, braided white hair swung lightly as her light green irises lit with vigor.

“Visquez… Out of every path, time, and place in Silver City, how did we meet on the same path for our run?”

“Hehe, obviously, we were trained by the same man!” she laughed. “What’s up; not feeling good? I’d hate to beat you when you’re on the low.”

“Me—naa, what could get me down—in a few hours, I’ll be named the new owner of the Vermilion Gym.”

“Haha, that’s the spirit, Girl!” She jabbed a finger to the trail. “Doing some aura control training to better regulate your Fortitude, huh? Mind if I join ya?”

I’d rather she not, but… ugh.

“Sure!”

Zaneeta rolled her eyes, telling her to be more vocal about her feelings.

Nudging her head and flashing her teeth, Visquez started their jog, focusing on efficiency this time in the slow burn rather than the sprint.

“Did you really just stumble upon me?”

“Ha, well … I was going to run down a different route but heard some people talking about you, so I thought I’d try to catch up and saw you gasping your lungs out by a tree.”

“I wasn’t… Ugh, whatever.”

The older woman chuckled, and they fell into silence for several minutes as Visquez slowly increased her pace, more than likely testing her. Keeping up, Saria’s turbulent heart began to even out with her rival running beside her, and after a few more minutes spoke what was bubbling up to the surface of her mind.

“How’s my dad?”

“The Lieutenant General? Ha! Running laps around me every day!” Her voice softened a tad. “He talks about you—heh, heard you got crushed by Malva in Kalos trying to take on their Elite Four before she betrayed the League.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight?” Saria growled, glaring at her with Inja hovering beside her.

“I’m just playing! Seriously, girl, what’s up with you; were you always this tight before shipping off to Kalos? Hehe, it’s only been two years, and you sound like a bitter woman that’s seen too many glasses of red wine! Where’s that spunky girl claiming she was gonna pound me into the dirt when she grows up?”

Saria’s gaze fell to the compact ground while pondering her question. “Visquez… What were my brothers and mother like?”

“Hmm? Uh-heh, yo, Saria, I think that’s a better question to be askin’ the Lieutenant General, but uh … I don’t know, I was pretty young back then, too, ya know—I ain’t an old lady!”

“You knew them, though.”

“Yeah, well… I mean, I was just a teenager back then, snot-nosed, undisciplined, and ready to pick a fight with anyone! Ugh… your brothers beat the stuffing out of me more times than I can count.”

Knowing she didn’t mean literally; it was just the way she spoke, Saria smiled, remembering the pictures in her father’s home she’d seen growing up.

“Harsh training?”

“Oh, you think the Lieutenant General is bad now—the things he put your brothers through—I mean, he was tough on you, but it was different, ya know? Haha, he can’t strip you naked and throw you off a cliff!”

“He really did that?” Saria laughed. “I’ve never heard that story … he doesn’t talk about them much.”

“Yeah, well… Oh, but your mom was a stunner, hehe, kind of like you, huh?”

“C’mon.”

“Seriously! I hear the talk, girl, don’t deny it; you got suitors lining up in every region lookin’ at that fine tail. Your mom told me she was actually a prisoner of war during the Kanto and Johto war.”

“No.”

“Hehe, yup!”

“Why was I never told this?”

“As I said, you should ask your dad about this stuff; look, it was a bad time, and they were young, hot, and in a bad spot … Heh, you know how it is!”

“Not… really?”

“Bah,” Visquez waved her hand, her Raichu making the same gesture. “If your dad hasn’t told you, it’s because you haven’t asked.”

“I just… I didn’t want to cause him pain.”

“Mmh … So, is that it?”

Inja’s arms tightened around her core as their jog lagged, sensing the dark-skinned woman’s emotions.

“What’s it?”

Visquez’s eyebrows drew together, arms crossing under her modest bust while giving her a sober look. “Saria, you’re strong—leagues ahead of where I was at your age.”

“Okay?” She glanced at her Gardevoir’s concerned expression. “Thank you?”

“You definitely have reached into the beginning of the High Master-tier … We could be evenly matched for all I know, considering what I’ve seen you do in the past matches to get here … Your dad told me not to underestimate you, and I won’t, but I need to know.”

Coming to a stop on the dirt hill they’d stopped on, Saria’s gaze shifted to the third-largest stadium in the world towering over the field, one of the few that could handle protecting Trainers from a low Champion-tier battle outside of the Elite Four Stadiums.

“Go on?” she muttered, left hand pressing against her hip as she slowed her breathing.

“My entire life has been dedicated to Vermilion, to the standard your father—the Lieutenant General—has raised. Do you know the weight of carrying that badge brings, Saria? Are you prepared to make whatever sacrifice you must for the people you stand as a symbol for because if you're not… Well, you’ll never beat me.”

The woman’s electrified aura raged over her, and Saria countered it; she was still new to its release in this fashion, yet it showed she’d broken the High Master threshold, blue eyes illuminating a rosy shade to match Visquez’s bright yellow.

“I grew up watching my father make those sacrifices, Visquez… I know exactly what it is I aim for.”

She smiled. “I hope so because I can’t feel your heart in it right now… I hope that changes.”

“Is that it?”

Visquez’s light green irises returned, and she grinned. “I’ll tell you something your father told me … No one’s ready for the Badge, but when you are, you’ll know. Heh, see you at the stadium, Saria.”

The woman rubbed her nose and put a fist in the air. “I didn’t see it back when you were that snot-nosed brat, telling your father you were going to beat him with your Fairy Pokemon, but he did. Show me your resolve, Saria, and prove your father right.”

It took a moment for her to realize what she meant by that. Father… thinks I’ll win? That I have what it takes?

Taking a deep breath, she smiled, Inja hovering closer with a smile.

“She didn’t have to do that.”

She didn’t—she hates everything I want to accomplish—but that’s the kind of woman Visquez is.

Turning around, she felt lighter on the way back to the hotel, smiling and waving to those that called out to her or cheered on her return.

Saria stopped at a café to have a light breakfast since she didn’t exactly have anything planned before meeting Zack—hopefully, he hadn’t been locked up—and she wasn’t sure her stomach would last the day. A few people glared at her, muttering about breaking the longstanding tradition of Virmilion’s Electric Pride, but it wasn’t new; change was hard for people, and she was no exception.

Her father’s support told her what she was doing was challenging but not the wrong decision; he approved. Of course, Zaneeta was quick to correct her that she should feel strong in herself; they were with her.

Returning at 9 A.M., Saria washed and had her Pokemon come out to help pick her outfit for the day that would no doubt be plastered across the internet.

In the end, they decided simple and clean was the choice; tight blue jeans, a black blouse, cream overcoat, black-tinted sunglasses, and the charm and earrings Zack had bought her. Inja selected the deep violet-colored purse out of the two she owned, and Zaneeta tied her hair back with a black bow while Addie crafted her bangs.

Once done, she smiled, checking her gleaming teeth and breath; Saria rarely used fingernail polish since it was a pain to do in the wild.

Satisfied, she thanked her team and went out to meet her dad before seeing Zack. Wow … I can’t believe I'm only eight hours away from… No, you’re right, Zaneeta; Barlo would have wanted me to be happy! Okay… deep breaths and happy thoughts…

“Just… be honest, right? Heh … yeah… Just be honest. I’m not scared! I can’t be because I’m Saria Surge! People look to me when they’re scared. You can do this! Just… tell Zack and Dad how you feel…”

Her Pokemon were giving her cheers, which made her slump a little.

“Guess… this is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. You with me?”

“Always,” Inja smiled, floating in to hug her with the others.

“You deserve to be happy, Saria; hehe, you’re lucky Zack’s as patient with you as we are, or you’d be helpless!”

Addie chuckled. “For once, Zanny, I agree with you—wait… mmgh, most of that. We’re always with you, Saria.”

Finished psyching herself up, Saria picked up her purse and exited her room with her Comfey setting around her like a headband.

I can change … I can heal … I deserve to be happy, too!

“Yeah, we’ve been through war; this is nothing! Don’t wimp out like a Torchic, or I’ll slap you!” Zaneeta roared, making Seria giggle at the memory of the time a Torchic had run into a burrow but was too fat and got stuck.

Then again, she knew her indigent Mawile really would slap her if she didn’t address this now. “Thanks, Zanny…”

“Someone has to keep you straight! Humph. I love you…”

“Love you, too.”