School is going to take a little longer today so my friends won’t be out all that soon. I find myself lounging in our living room with Lili exploring the shelves filled with all kinds of media. There are books, which she knows about, and other things like CDs, DVDs, and a set of hardware to play them. As well as the TV, of course. Somehow, Lili is more fascinated by the advertisements than the actual content. She is complaining about the taste of food she’s never eaten with such gusto, I can’t help but laugh.
Mum is sitting next to me, though I’m keeping a little distance. She’s drinking coffee again. I have to translate a few of the things Lili says but she’s mostly focused on the little Zubat in her lap.
And I don’t say that just because she’s young. Mum’s Zubat is about 15% smaller than average, especially when you consider how powerful she is for her age. The little bat is a pure bundle of lithe muscle. Every little bit of nutrition went into training. I find my eyes keep being drawn to her since I’ve never seen something like this in wild Pokémon. Normally, they always build some fat reserves for hard times. It’d be impossible to guarantee survival, otherwise.
Nadya, as Mum has decided to call her, is contently chewing on some Poké-Chow. The very same thing Lili keeps complaining about but Zubat is not discouraged. In fact, she seems to enjoy every bite. And the scritches. Mum is carefully massaging her back with the tips of her fingers. I can see why wild Pokémon might bank on finding a trainer. This is a much easier life. It always was, even back in Hisui, there just weren’t enough people to give every Pokémon a home. Or even just enough that it was likely to find one.
I grab my notebook and make sure to write down my thoughts as the others continue to play around. A few questions come to mind that might be worth exploring. Primarily, if there’s a difference between Pokémon living close to a well-travelled Route and those further out in the wild. Or if the latter travel to a Route with their offspring. Maybe I should visit Gary again, ask how their thunder is doing things.
I shake my head as Lili chirps angrily.
“Sorry, I’m done. What’s up?”
She perks up and points at the screen. When I look over, I see Cynthia standing in front of a crowd of reporters. An official Pokémon League press conference. Some text is scrolling along the bottom. It reads:
‘New Circuit Season to start with a bang. What challengers will this year bring?’
I listen a little but there’s not much of interest there. At least not for me. Mum is watching with much more interest. And Nadya is listening closely. The little Zubat is practically vibrating with excitement. I tap on Mum’s shoulder and she doesn’t even react so I return my focus to the TV.
Cynthia is just finished with her speech about the tradition of battling in Sinnoh. A lot of stuff about fairness and the integrity of the sport. I should really get a rulebook, lest I get disqualified. The screen switches to a group of five people sitting in a loose half-circle in comfy chairs. I recognize Volkner, and Candice, sort of. Volkner looks like Ginter from the Ginkgo Guild. A very friendly merchant that helped out Jubilife Village a lot. Candice looks similar to Clover from the bandit trio that was mostly just annoying back in Hisui. They are also familiar from my time before Hisui as they were recognizable Gym Leaders even then, well, a month ago, but I only make the connection now. Capable people will have capable descendants, huh?
The other two are complete strangers. Lauded as high-ranking Trainers from the last Lily of the Valley Conference, I probably have seen them before. They just escaped my mind with everything that happened…
Their names are displayed as Tobias, Allrounder, and Rhyan Zhang, Fighting Specialist. I don’t know why Tobias doesn’t have a last name shown. Maybe he wants to distance himself from his family?
The last person is a moderator going by Gina Ritlock and is very enthusiastic in her greeting.
“Welcome trainers and people of Sinnoh, though there’s not much of a difference, is there?”
The others chuckle.
“It’s this time of the year again. Only three more weeks until the Circuit festival starts and trainers young and old from all over the region set out for honour and glory once again. With me are the Gym Leaders Volkner and Candice, as well as last year’s top two Conference contenders, Tobias and Rhyan. Tell me, Candice, how excited are you for this season?”
The woman’s brown pigtails shake as she turns her head.
“There’s a lot to look forward to. I already know about a few pros coming back from a break, like Lucas and Barry. They took Sinnoh by storm the last time they tried their hands at the Circuit and that was, at least for Barry, the very first attempt. It’s not every day a beginner makes it all the way to the Conference. I’m looking forward to their challenges.”
“The usual group is also running again,” Rhyan cuts in “I’m not reaching far when I say the competition is stacked.”
I yawn as they keep talking about ‘interesting’ people coming back to compete. Lili has also lost some of her focus and is cuddling again. Together, we observe Mum and Nadya who are watching with rapt attention. Well, Nadya is listening. The lack of eyes makes it a little difficult to see the screen. I have to admit, I’m a little concerned. But also curious. Mum is one of the few people who never attempted a Circuit. I never asked why.
A voice I haven’t heard yet rips me out of my thoughts. Volkner is speaking for the first time.
“Lots of people are coming by this year. I’m only interested in one. Cynthia told me about her and her special Liligant. I hear the Champ almost lost in a friendly match.”
Lili chirps and I giggle.
Tobias gives him a glare.
“A friendly match is not a Gym Battle, let alone the Conference.”
Volkner raises an eyebrow.
“If you ever fought her you would know that Cynthia never holds back. There’s a reason she doesn’t open the Conference with a show match. It would be a stomp. Every single time.”
“So you say,” Gina interrupts “But can you really go all out every single time?”
Volkner grins.
“Cynthia is the best precisely because of that,” he states with finality “She is everything I aspire to be.”
“Oh?” Candice smirks “Is that why so few people ever pass your Gym Challenge?”
He nods and leans back.
“And do you have any more details on this new challenger?” Gina asks.
“You will know when you see her fight.”
I share a glance with Lili.
“Now I almost don't want to go for the Circuit,” I say.
Lili giggles.
“But maybe I’ll just use Lulu for the first few fights. Gligar might be able to help out as well if we are smart about strategy.”
Mum looks at me. There’s another ad playing in the background.
“Zoe…” she begins. She’s chewing on her lip.
“What?” I ask.
“Do you think… I could go for the Circuit?”
Nadya hisses happily.
“I don’t know the rule set. But you should be concerned about your job, right?”
“Ah!”
She shrinks back in on herself.
“I’m not going to stop you, though. Why exactly do you want to go for it?”
“I… just want to.”
Her face is stubborn. I lean over to give her a hug.
“Then do it,” I say “After you talked to Dad about it. With both of us out and travelling, he might get lonely.”
Mum holds her head between her hands.
“Urgh… So much to think about.”
“You’ve had Nadya for all of like 4 hours. Take it slow. Wanna come join us for training on the weekend?”
“Yes!”
I laugh. Looks like Mum is excited about more than just history.
“You’ll have to think about the first Gym you take. Most people do Oreburgh but with Nadya’s typing you might want to skip it. Gardenia is a much easier match-up.”
She nods and stands up to get a notebook.
“Teach me!”
Nadya hisses from her shoulder.
“Alright. Come here,” I beckon the Zubat.
She turns her head questioningly at Mum who nods after a moment. Then she pushes off and shoots right at me. She barely manages to slow down to softly impact my body.
“Good. Now let’s get a proper look at you.”
I start poking and prodding the bat while talking about my findings.
“You lack nutrition. Even with all your training, your stamina won’t be very good.”
She squeaks in protest.
“That said, your muscles are formed properly. You are built for speed and rapid strikes. With your size, it will be difficult to hit your opponent for a lot of damage in a single move so you should look to whittle them down. That’s why your stamina is an issue.”
The squeak is a little quieter this time.
“All that can be rectified with time, and evolution. What’s important is that you build a proper base. Keep moving and eat well. Spread your wings for me?”
Nadya obliges. I run my hands along the bony fingers holding up the leathery purple membranes.
“Your wings have grown well. Sometimes, malnutrition can lead to swelling around the tendons. Your surfaces are smooth and even. You’ll have an easy time moving quickly but you will need to practice a little more for tight manoeuvres. The joint looks strong. If you ever feel it chafe or itch, you need to rest. No matter what. If you don’t, you might get an infection. Healthy food will help prevent that.”
This time she squeaks in acceptance.
“Your ears move well. Did you practice a lot to be able to figure out your surroundings?”
She nods.
“That’s good. You’ll have to see how well you do in more open areas than the caves you grew up in. Now for your teeth. They’re a little on the large side for a female Zubat of your size but still not that long. You won’t be able to rely on them to break through tough defences. Aim for weak points if you want to go for an Absorb, or a Leech Life later down as a Golbat. That’s all I have, for now. You got that?”
Nadya looks a little confused but Mum nods. Her pen scratches a few more words on her notepad before she looks up at me.
“That’s a lot of information. How much should she eat, exactly?”
“That depends on how much you exercise. At least until she feels full and then a few more bites. If you train until exhaustion, get something light right after. Berry Juice, water, or even some blood. Though the latter would only be available if you hunt for wild Pokémon.”
Mum looks worried.
“That’s not even allowed, is it?”
“No idea. I tried to avoid it wherever I could but Wild Pokémon hunt each other for food. I can see how too many trainers could make that a problem. Oh, right. If she has problems changing directions quickly, you can have her exercise only her twin tail. That is the most important part of her body for manoeuvring. Trying to grip something with it usually helps a lot.”
Mum taps the pen to her chin and nods a few times.
“Okay. That’s a lot. But I’ll figure it out. We will.”
Nadya squeaks in agreement.
“That’s good,” I say “I’m going to hang out with Mes for a bit before meeting the others. Okay?”
Mum is already deep in her notes and mumbling all kinds of things. She gives me a distracted nod and I recall Lili before preparing my Teleport. I even start a timer on my phone this time. When the move finally finishes and I’m back in Lake Verity’s cavern, I quickly take a look. 33 minutes, give or take. Slow but acceptable. I have almost a full hour with Mes before I have to channel my Type Energy again to make it in time for meeting my friends.
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“Squeeee!” Mesprit slams into me.
I hold her tight and spin with the energy of her charge.
“Let’s play!” she sends to my mind.
I smile and let out my Pokémon.
The next few hours are very exhausting. I had not even noticed how much the sudden loss of power impacted me since I only used a few moves in a row at most. Sure, they were weaker but… I just felt a little slow. Under Mesprit’s watchful eyes, I finally start to see the real problems. I can hold out less than five minutes of continuous switching of types and moves. If it’s just one that I can channel it’s easier but even there, Teleport is an exception. That move stores the Type Energy in a closed area around me and I can pump in as much as I get. Something like a Flamethrower on the other hand needs a certain amount of energy every second or it just fizzles out. I’m completely spent less than two minutes in just keeping it up at the bare minimum level.
We end up taking a lot of breaks which I use to carefully look over Gligar’s physical condition. He is underfed in a different way than Mum’s new Zubat. Part of that is his body being surrounded by a carapace instead of skin which makes the effect less immediately obvious. You need to look closely to see the spots where it has started to change colour from its deep pink to a washed-out rose tone. His wing membranes are also a little rough though that looks more like battle scars. Falling rocks from a tunnel ceiling could result in something like that. I carefully apply some handmade Potion to it. He’ll be back up to top condition in a week at most under my care. Rations plus berries can get any Pokémon back on its legs, as long as they want to.
In the end, I stay a little too long because I have to rest after a particularly exhausting attempt at a Psychic. The move just straight up failed because I couldn’t gather enough energy in time with all the intense practising. Mesprit decides to just Teleport us back home after that. She wants to hang out more, anyways.
When I step out of my room, Mum is sitting at the kitchen table with a huge pile of notes in front of her. She’s tapping on her phone and quietly talking to Nadya. She jumps when I give her a hug from behind, making the Zubat laugh. Mesprit also giggles behind me.
“Lesson number one,” I say “Always pay attention to your surroundings.”
“Zoe!” she complains “You…! Ah, do you think we should rush for the evolution? Zubat seems to be a rather weak Pokémon before that and we could use the time to figure out how to evolve her into a Crobat.”
“No,” I say “At least not yet. Figure out some decent moves and you’ll be good. Poison Fang or Cross Poison and then a Gust or Air Cutter should be a good basis. Add in Supersonic and maybe Hypnosis later on and you’ll have a good basis to work off. Mean Look can be useful, too. Quick Guard is an extra you can learn if you have the time but you should probably focus on Absorb first. That will allow Nadya to stay in combat for longer. Maybe you can figure out Leech Life as well, before the evolution.”
Mum is furiously scribbling down more notes.
“Okay. But why not evolve first?”
“It will stunt Nadya’s growth as a fighter. If you push her to fight enough to evolve right now, she will have an even harder time catching up with where she should be. Just take it slow, okay?”
The bat nods meekly. She already looks a little tired.
“The biggest part is getting used to sunlight. Otherwise, she won’t be able to protect you when you go out. That will take a lot of energy. Make sure you’re always there, Mum. And you might want to build up your own stamina as well.”
The doorbell interrupts my impromptu lesson.
“Thank you, sweetie. Go get your friends.”
I cuddle her quickly before moving to the door. Mesprit already opened it and is letting my friends in. They each give me a hug before we file inside. Nadya hisses a greeting that makes Mel finch.
“Um, hello?” she says.
“Mum caught her earlier today. She just said hi.”
“Oh, hello everyone,” Mum finally looks up “I’m sorry, I’m a little busy. Can I get you all something?”
“Don’t worry about it, Mum. I’ll take care of it.”
She nods and sinks back into all of her data. Looks like her job is helping her find an approach to all this. Data analysis was always her thing.
When we’re all in my room with drinks in hand, scattered on my bed and the ground, Min looks at me.
“Why did your Mum catch that Zubat?” she asks.
“That was a bit of a chance encounter. We went hiking earlier today and the Zubat’s family was trying to find trainers to take some of their young ones with them. That Onix in Oreburgh Gate sort of forced us to take her along. I don’t really know why but Mum already got attached. She’s thinking about trying the Circuit next season.”
“Huh? Your Mum? Wasn’t she one of those people that never did an attempt?” Sara asks
“Yup. She’s coming along for the training session on the weekend. We’ll have to see how it goes.”
“Okay. About that, what are we gonna do, exactly?” Min asks “Do we just do some battling?”
“Playing!” Mesprit sends to all of us. I grin.
“I say we take a trip out of city and just hang out. I want to take a look at your Pokémon, see where they’re at. Then some basic exercise and we can figure out where to go from there. We can start today by talking about general strategy and figure out what we need for the Circuit.”
Mel nods.
“Like what Pokémon we want to catch? Sounds good.”
“Right. So, for the Circuit… We’re doing the standard path?”
Everyone nods.
“Let’s start straight in Oreburgh,” Sara says “It’s the second attempt, we can skip the double trip through the Gate.”
“Sure thing. We can schedule battles for the first week. I’ll want to figure out what to do, exactly.”
“What do you mean, Zoe?”
“You didn’t see the press conference today, right?”
They shake their heads.
“Apparently, Cynthia has already told the other Gym Leaders about me. Volkner’s only contribution to the talk-show afterwards was that he was looking forward to battling the girl with the ‘weird Liligant’, soo… I’m thinking I’ll try to solo with Lulu. Maybe Gligar can be ready by the time we make it to Gardenia.”
“Do you really think it’ll be that easy?” Min asks. She looks conflicted.
“I am a little worried about what Roark said yesterday. If I have to battle his main team of six Pokémon, it’ll be tough without Lili. Does anyone know what his main team is?”
“He definitely has an Onix,” Sara says “And a Cranidos is often his ace against newer trainers so probably a Rampardos? High chance he has a Golem as well. Other than that… it’s a little more open. I’d think another fossil or two. You can probably take out any Steel/Rock mixed types. Those are more of his father’s thing. So no Bastiodon, Probopass, Steelix, or Aggron. I’d expect some dual-typings that neutralize a weakness or two. The Kanto fossils fit that. Hmm… anything else?”
I close my mouth.
“That helps a lot, thanks. I can work with that. He’ll want to have Flying-Type moves so I should read up on Aerodactyl. Does he use many Pokémon from other regions?”
“Not too often, I think. Other than the fossils. But if you think ‘powerful Rock Types’ you can’t forget about Tyranitar. Never seen him with one.”
“The Gym Leaders don’t battle with their main team all that often, huh?”
“I hear they only use it against each other or in emergencies. Even the Gym Trainers sometimes don’t know.”
Min blinks furiously.
“Is that why you got so far last time?” she asks.
“The power of information,” Sara grins.
“Then what does Roark do against newer trainers? We all have his badge so it’ll be a little higher level even for us, right?”
“Most likely. He usually tests you with a Geodude and then decides where to go from there. Onix, Cranidos, more Geodude, sometimes even a Graveler. A Nosepass or Anorith on rare occasions. Maybe Probopass isn’t that unlikely…”
“Anorith?” I ask.
“A Rock-Bug Type fossil. Evolves into Armaldo. Strong but slow physical attacker. Decent bulk.”
“Huh,” I make “And I thought I was the encyclopedia…”
Sara blushes.
“Thanks.”
“Then what about me?” Mel asks.
“You want to go for the badges too, right? Not just do contests while travelling with us?”
“I mean… two or three would be nice…”
“Then you should build your team around those and fit them into your contests,” Sara says “Gym Battles are too difficult to do half-heartedly.”
“So something for Gardenia and… Who’s the third?”
“People usually pick and choose their best match-up between Maylene, Crasher Wake, and Fantina. So, Fighting, Water, or Ghost. All three of them are equally difficult. Candice and Byron are very out of the way from that point if you want to keep going and Volkner is insanity unless you are Conference material.
“You already have some good defence for Wake but starting at the third Gym you’ll always battle at least three Pokémon so you should have at least that many yourself.”
“Unless you’re Zoe,” Min grins.
“Unless you’ve had two decades of practice in a very lethal wilderness,” I say.
“Um, lethal?” Mel asks “It’s not that bad, right?”
“Large parts of Sinnoh were pure wilderness about 200 years ago,” I say “Jubilife was just founded and there were two tent villages of the native clans where you can now find Hearthone and Snowpoint City. And Cogita’s place that turned into Celestic Town. Between that, it was all wilderness.”
“It’s much safer, nowadays,” Sara adds “At least on the Routes. And Zoe’s gonna be there, just in case. Right?”
Mes pats my head to get my attention.
“You wanted to do the Gym’s fast?” she asks into all our minds.
I laugh.
“As I said, I’ll see how it goes with Roark. If it’s easy, I’ll have you Teleport me between Gyms and join you guys after that. That should be fine, right?”
My friends nod slowly.
“It’s still freaky that you’re even considering that,” Sara says “If I didn’t see your battle with Cynthia yesterday, I’d call you insane.”
“Feel free to do that anyway!” I say and we share a laugh.
“So, teams!” Mel says “What ideas does everyone have?”
I look around waiting for one of the others to begin. Min looks a little conflicted but Sara seems determined. Mel is trying to avoid going first by asking the question so I know she’s nervous, too. Sara ends up going first.
“I have Buizel and Craig, my Kricketot. Evolving Buizel into Floatzel should net me the first two badges with some smart strategizing. After that I’m looking at a Grass Type for Wake and a Flying Type for Maylene. With the Grass Type being a supporter and the Flyer bringing utility outside of battle I’ll only really need some ranged attackers to round out my team.”
“Looks like a plan. Anything specific?”
“The Oddish line is probably my best shot. Maybe a Liligant? Not like your Lili but a normal one. For Flyers I’ll just take a Staraptor or Crobat, most likely. Their first stages are everywhere and there’s lots of knowledge about how to get them going, besides the fact that Crobat’s evolution seems a bit random.”
Min squirms a bit.
“You’ve got so much planned out already…,” she says “How do you do that?”
“I just like the pay-off,” Sara shrugs with a grin.
“Right… So, I have a Diglett and a Ponita. Not the best options for Roark but Diglett should get there. Ponita is good to take on Gardenia and then… I honestly have no idea.”
“You already have two very fast Pokémon there,” Sara says “Maybe go for that theme? At least loosely. It’ll make the later gyms much easier if you already know the type of battling you do.”
“What’s your type?”
“Information and planning. I don’t need special Pokémon, I need ones that are really well-known so I can build on the experience of thousands of other trainers.”
“I can help you with some of the less common picks if you run into one,” I say “At least if they’re native species.”
“Thanks.”
“What would be good fast Pokémon to go for, then?”
“Electrode,” I say “Annoying little buggers. Jolteon, if you can get one. Or Crobat, again. Weavile if you want an Ice Type.”
“Also some other Flyers,” Sara says “Swellow and Talonflame come to mind. Not native but very quick.”
“Alakazam,” I add “If you want to get something for Mylene that’s not weak against Volkner and Candice.”
“I’m not really thinking that far, to be honest. And a Flyer seems good to have…”
“Don’t tell me you’re all gonna get a Crobat,” I groan “With Nadya that’d be three at least. What about you, Mel?”
“The typing is really good into Gardenia. But I don’t know. I was thinking Oddish or Budew for a second Pokémon. Something simple to raise with lots of potential.”
“I can help you much more with a Roserade than a Vileplume. Oddish wasn’t around in Hisui.”
"They're still pretty rare, here," Sara says.
“Right. Maybe I’ll aim for Budew? Then I already have something for Wake so… a Flyer, again? Do I need one?”
“Not really. Psychic or Ghost types would also be helpful for both Fantina and Mylene if you know how to play them. Though Ghosts can be fickle.”
“I always wanted a Froslass…,” Mel mutters.
I laugh.
“Well, Snorunt live up north. We can set out from Eterna City to try and find one, probably. I wonder if Lisa is still around?”
“Lisa?” Min asks.
“The Froslass I had in my main team. She has a good chance of staying alive for all that time. That’s the main issue with primary Ghost Types. You’ll often have very old Pokémon that’d rather play pranks than train.”
Mel nods.
“I want to go for a Froslass. Maybe not as my third but no later than the fourth.”
“And Fire Types, what we talked about yesterday?” I say
“I’m not sure. What options do I have besides Ponita and Chimchar?”
“Vulpix and Growlithe, which live East of the mountains. The Magmar line if you’re lucky. Those are the natives, really. Flareon, of course. Or you can take look at Talonflame?”
She looks unconvinced.
“Vulpix are cute, so are Growlithe, but I haven’t heard of them native to Sinnoh.”
“I hope they’re still around. We can take a look once we get there.”
“Alright!” Sara claps her hands “I think we all have a basic idea of what to go for. I’m catching Oddish or Petilil next with Starly or Zubat after that. Min?”
“Um. Yeah. I’m getting… Electrode or Weavile? That’s Voltorb or Sneasle, right? And maybe a fast Flyer after that. I’ll see…”
She looks deep in thought, already going over her options. Maybe she’s really gunning for an Eevee. I’ll have to see if the families I know are still around…
“Mel?” Sara says.
“Yes. I’m looking for a Budew, right now. Keeping my eyes open for interesting Fire Types along the road. And I’m catching a Snorunt at some point.”
“And Zoe?”
I shrug.
“I have Gligar to train and if any other Pokémon want to join me I’ll take care of them. I’m pretty sure I’m fine with Lili and Lulu for the Gyms. Even with the Leaders going all out.”
“That’s a wrap, I think,” Sara says “We got our strategies to work on, now that we know where we’re going. Before we get anywhere we have to beat Roark again so let’s plan for that.”
We end up taking well into the evening to get everyone’s strategy ready. Mel has the easiest time with a single evolved Pokémon. Sara already knows what she wants to do but is very open to more ideas. Min is having trouble believing in her Diglett. It’s a real risk to just get knocked out and then be at a severe disadvantage. I talk her through some ideas of how to utilize Ponita which calms her down. At some point, Mes falls asleep on my lap so I gently deposit her in my bed.
When my friends leave, I can’t help but grin at Mum still sitting at the kitchen table, even more data before her. She swapped to working with a laptop at some point which Nadya is sleeping on top of. The warm device seems to make for a comfortable bed. Which makes me yawn and bid her goodnight before finding the way to my own bed as well and cuddling up with my pink buddy.