Suzie leaned back in her seat as she sipped her iced coffee. The sun above her head shined across Celadon's skyline as she looked across the circular, outside table she was seated at, not even a block away from her salon. Just next to the table, Vulpix shared a large bowl of food with a Slurpuff. The woman took the time to enjoy Celadon's beautiful air, not to mention the quiet atmosphere they were treated with once in a blue moon.

"Well, you weren't kidding when you said you had a story." her somewhat exasperated expression formed into a grin. "Although, knowing you, "launched into the stratosphere" probably just means that the Rhydon smashed into a wall or something."

Across from her, a grinning Elacia sat down a cup of her own. "Heh, you're no fun. I like my version better."

It had been a few days since her red-haired friend had returned to Celadon, although who knew when Elacia would be taking off again (and for how long, at that). Suzie was more than happy with communicating with her longtime colleague long-distance, but she'd always cherish their in-person moments while she could.

Sparing a glance down at Vulpix and Slurpuff (both equally enamored with the professionally made food they indulged in), the teal-haired woman sent her friend a grateful smile. "Well, I'm glad you told me." A minor frown formed on her features as she glanced at her cup. "We both know it could be a coincidence, but the timeline does add up." a smile. "Not that I'm worried. He sounds like a great kid."

Elacia chuckled, hand resting against her chin as she shot Slurpuff a fond look. "He definitely is. Some self esteem issues he needs to work out, but I'd like to think his time in Pewter already got that process started for him. He just needed an opportunity to see his potential for himself." reaching forward, she took one of the pastries piled up on the plate in between them and plucked it into her mouth.

"You seem oddly attached, based on your story."

The red-haired woman shrugged. "Eh, no denial there. I always enjoy helping out the latest batch of newbies when I can. Guess it brings back memories to my time as a trainer. But some times do feel more personal than others. Can't say I know the cause."

Suzie chuckled heartily as she picked out a pastry of her own. "That's how it usually works, isn't it? You never know when you'll feel that way towards someone, or for what reason. Usually just comes without warning. That's what happened with us." Taking a moment to chew on the pastry, she let out a satisfied moan as the taste filled her mouth. "These chouquettes you brought are so good, by the way."

Elacia smirked, getting ready to pop in another one. "Tell me about it. My Kalosian contact is a gift that keeps on giving. Gave me a recipe I'll hang onto for the rest of my life." a comfortable silence hung in the air between the two breeders as she chewed on the pastry, lost in the early morning breeze. She sighed. "I… always really enjoy these moments."

A teasing, yet good natured smile accompanied Suzie's features. "We could have them more often if you stuck around longer." her lips took on a more mischievous form as she leaned forward a bit. "For someone who lives in Celadon, you know, you sure aren't here all that often."

Elacia wagged a finger in her friend's face. "Now, now, Suzie, you know you can't go putting me on a leash like that. Just because you're content with being all boring and stationary, doesn't mean I gotta be dragged down to your level." she leaned back in her chair as her eyes made their way to the skyline above. "Things are going great for me. Celadon is my hub, Indigo is my stomping grounds. Wouldn't trade it for the world." her gaze moved down to her friend. "Of course, I suppose I should be grateful. Your complacency to never leave always gives me a reason to come back."

An uncharacteristic smirk appeared on the teal-haired breeder's compassionate features. "Then I guess it's a good thing I'm boring, isn't it? Gotta give you some place to call home, especially since you're so far away from Alola."

"Very kind of you, dear friend." Elacia took a bite out of another pastry. "Anyway, speaking of which, I'm not sure when he'll get here, but I did ask him to stop by my place when he does. And if I'm gone, I gave him your info as well. Either way, he'll find his way to your salon."

Suzie nodded gratefully. "Thanks. Although, you didn't have to go that far, you know. It's not like I didn't want him to have a trainer. Staying was always his own choice, not mine."

"True, but it still means he was around longer than most of the other Pokemon were. Figured the closure would be nice."

"You're not wrong, I suppose." Suzie admitted. "Given the circumstances…"

"Yeah, nobody was expecting the break in. And the two Rockets who were presumed responsible turned up dead, right?"

"That's what Erika said." Suzie nodded. "Just outside of Viridian Forest, where they went into hiding." she shook her head. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions, though. For all we know this was just a coincidence."

"I thought that too." Elacia admitted. "But the more I think about it, the more it doesn't add up. You gotta admit, it's convenient as hell."

"I won't deny that." Suzie responded, sipping her coffee. She sighed. "I suppose now the best thing to do is wait and see. I tried searching the forest myself a couple times, but you already know how that went."

"Nobody blames you for that. It's a needle in a haystack. If roaming that place wasn't such a risk in and of itself, it'd be one thing, but this is another." Elacia shot her a reassuring smile. "But as you said, wait and see. I'm sure that worry in the back of your mind will go away then."

"Thanks." Suzie responded appreciatively. Smiling, she took the time to briefly gaze at Vulpix and Slurpuff. "Valiant… that's a nice nickname."

/

"Toxtricity, Power-Up Punch!"

The bipedal lizard standing in front of Janine and Ivysaur sported purple-colored skin and a yellow underbelly, with yellow, electric frills extending from its front nose to its neck, and two smaller electric spikes on its back. Still fairly newly evolved, its height was below average for its species, though it was still taller than the Mankey hopping in front of it.

The fighting type had singes on his fur from the shocks of electricity that he had been exposed to throughout the battle, along with purple patches of acid and a slightly disrupted posture from the toxins progressively making their way into his bloodstream. Nonetheless, he still eyed Toxtricity with aggression. The electric/poison type Pokemon, in comparison, sported some bruisings, but showed little signs of hindrance.

At his trainer's orders, the bipedal lizard sped across the Pokemon Center's battlefield, some aggression of his own in his eyes as his reared back fist glowed orange.

With purified confidence, Janine watched her partner's fist collide with Mankey's crossed arms. As the fighting type staggered backwards, the glow in Toxtricity's fist intensified, before the energy suddenly began to spread across his arms.

'Power-Up Punch. A move that absorbs the impact from the collision and transfers it into energy to briefly amplify the strength of the user.' Janine thought to herself as she nodded with satisfaction.

"Great, now Thunder Punch!" Raising his other arm, which still glowed from the amplifying energy, Toxtricity lunged forward yet again, sending Mankey flying into the barriers in front of his trainer; a young boy about Janine's age. He did not get up.

Although clearly dejected, the boy paid the prize money before leaving. After she and Ivysaur offered their friend congratulations, the young girl returned Toxtricity.

She smiled at the Poke Ball as she placed it back onto her belt. Behind her, Ivysaur looked up expectantly as she glanced down at him.

"I'm glad we went to Suzie's place when we did, Ivysaur." she smiled at her starter. "It's embarrassing, but, she's definitely been a big help in researching Toxtricity, and I'm more confident he'll be able to reach his full potential now than when it was just me."

She tried telling herself that she shouldn't feel embarrassed. The more rookies her age started finding foreign Pokemon, the more common it had become to consult with breeders and other professionals for advice on how to raise and train them properly. And with Galar just behind Alola on the list of the rarest foreign Pokemon in Indigo, very few would judge her for seeking help.

But no matter her justification, she couldn't but feel as though she had let down a friend. It hadn't taken Toxtricity long to become friendly and loyal with the rest of the group, despite his stubborn attitude, but she had been unable to reward him for such dedication.

That would end now, however. Ever since their first visit, Suzie had been delighted to offer up her help. They were visiting her each day and taking the time to gather the information that they needed. Toxtricity were a species that even Suzie herself wasn't overly educated in, but she seemed to know all the right places to get started. What moves he could learn, the biology and health. It was all slowly unraveling, and Janine was grateful for the famous breeder's help.

And today, they had been lucky enough to find themselves an opponent to help apply some of their findings, despite how early it was. It wasn't quite 7:00 AM yet, and finding other trainers at this time had always been rare for her. She had lucked out.

Toxtricity certainly enjoyed the practice, as well. He clearly loved to battle, which made the girl all the more guilty she wasn't able to completely fulfill that enjoyment. Pretty soon, however, in due time, he'd have all the capabilities in the world. Enough to truly revel in the combat from the challenges ahead.

Her grin grew as Ivysaur returned it, the grass/poison type nodding affirmatively. The quadruped closed his eyes and leaned into her touch as she briefly bent down to pat his head.

Looking up to the sky, she could see the sea of blue beginning to brighten as the sun rose higher into the sky. "Suzie's place will be open roughly a half an hour." she glanced back at her starter with a friendly nod. "It shouldn't take Toxtricity too long to recover. We'll wait for the Center's machines to do her work, and then head on over."

Sure enough, her partner only took a quick half hour to recover. After that, she and Ivysaur were out of the Center and into the city streets, traversing the sidewalk side by side as they observed the start of the morning commute.

Janine found her eyes wandering at the sight of people exiting buildings and entering their vehicles. It would be a bit before things got busy, creating an odd harmony where activity was present, but didn't take too much away from the peaceful immersion of the morning.

It was something she always appreciated about waking up early, especially back at home. She had been raised from an early age to rise early, and had found comfort in the unique atmosphere that only early morning could carry. When the sun was rising, the uniquely dim yet noticeable blue in the sky made itself known, not too dark, but the day having not started yet, and without the noisy distractions that came from the daily community rush. And the breeze that accompanied the early dawn.

As she headed down the sidewalk, Janine sucked in a satisfying gasp of the fresh, morning air. Being from Fuschia, she wasn't a stranger to such clean, comfortable air, but she was more than impressed to find it of the same quality in a city like Celadon. Erika's environmental tactics truly had been worth the effort.

With a satisfied sigh, she looked down to her partner. "Always feels good to be out in the morning doesn't it, Ivysaur?" she giggled at his enthusiastic, nodding grin. Looking on ahead, she added. "I'm wondering what we should be focusing on this morning. Not sure if Suzie has anything specific to look up again, like with before. And we've been lucky enough for these past couple of days to not be too busy for her. We certainly can't always count on that…" Her partner grunted in affirmation. "We'll probably move on from here in another two or three days. I just want to make sure we have everything situated for Toxtricity. After that, it'll be all up to us to apply her guidance and advice." The girl stretched her arms as they continued on their way.

/

It was 8:15 AM when Ash's opening eyes were greeted with the sight of the hotel ceiling. As his feet touch the carpet and he glanced around, he could see that Valiant and Tempest were in the process of waking as well, while Eevee and Tyrunt remained sleeping side by side. Pikachu and Nebula were chatting off in a corner, breaking their conversation just long enough to greet their trainer as he passed by on his way to the bathroom. From what he could guess, they must have been up for at least a little while now.

After a quick shower, which Eevee and Tyrunt had both risen during, the group was off to the cafeteria as usual. Ash was silently pleased by the high spirits accompanying the air surrounding them, the victory at the Gym yesterday still perfectly fresh in everybody's memories.

There was always incentive to celebrate a new Gym badge, but the events of the previous day had essentially accomplished two things at once, the sour taste left behind by their battle with Surge having long since vanished. In addition to being one step closer to the still far-distant Conference, it was just good to feel victorious again; a reminder that they had what it took to make it all the way to the end.

Breakfast was pleasant that morning. The chatter amongst his teammates was more frequent, consistently chipper, and even Tempest, despite still being distanced from the rest as always, didn't stir up any trouble. In other sections of the cafeteria, Ash could overhear a few groups of trainers talking about their own endeavors, whether it be planning to challenge Erika, or recent triumphs or defeats at the Gym, but even those who brought up losing sounded fairly optimistic about their next attempt.

One particular comment, which he picked up from a girl passing by their table while talking to one of her friends, that stood out to him, was that today officially marked two months since the Season had first begun. Ash had been doing his best to keep track himself, but hadn't actually known the exact date.

Two months… everytime he thought of it, the more surreal the feeling got. Had so much really happened since then? His humiliation at Gary's hands, the attack on Viridian's Pokemon Center, the unpleasant week spent in Viridian Forest, all of the training and battles fought in Pewter, meeting Misty at Mt. Moon, where the Iron-Masked Marauder had attacked, staying in Cerulean, the encounter with Surge, and now… here.

"I'd recommend you get used to that, Ash. Your life is only going to get more eventful from here. Especially now that you have a full team of six. By the time you're at Indigo Plateau, you'll be feeling like your career has already gone on for a decade. Take it from someone who knows."

This must have been what Aya meant.

Breakfast finished at a steady pace that morning, Pikachu and Valiant joining Ash on the table as Nebula, Eevee, and Tyrunt chatted together. Tempest stayed put at his empty bowl, continuously glancing around the room, but not showing any signs of making any moves. The rest of the team had only shot him one or two distrusting glances before moving on without much concern.

Reaching into one of his backpack's pockets, Ash pulled out the business card that Elacia had handed out to him prior to leaving Pewter way back when. It was Suzie's.

The card's aesthetic was fairly stylish, with a beautiful Vulpix and a clean texture. Pikachu and Valiant eyed the card together, prompting Ash to smile at them.

"That's what's on the agenda for today." the boy stated to them. "Erika has already confirmed that Elacia isn't home right at the moment, so we'll be paying a visit to her friend Suzie instead." Even as he said it, Ash could suddenly feel a small amount of Butterfree in his stomach. Suzie was the top ranked breeder in all of Indigo. Even if her salon was open to the public, they'd essentially be talking to a celebrity. It almost felt silly for him to be nervous about that, given that Elacia was a celebrity too, and he had gotten used to interacting with her, not to mention the Gym Leaders that they had all met up to this point, but the young rookie quickly realized that it must have been a case by case sort of thing. Just because they had been able to grow comfortable around one celebrity doesn't mean that the process wouldn't have to repeat itself with another.

He pushed that all aside, however. The more he thought about it, the more of a good mood he realized he was in today. Good enough to dilute whatever nervousness he may have felt.

Beside him, Pikachu and Valiant both nodded. It seemed like they were content with the plan.

Before leaving, however, Ash called the rest of the team over to the table. As they lined up, he stood in front of them, a trainer addressing his six comrades.

"There's something worth mentioning I'd like to announce." His tone was friendly and casual, although he tried to keep his posture straight. It was a balance that he wanted to strike. Seeing that he had everyone's attention, he continued. "As of today, this current Season for the League has gone on for two months. Now, I know not all of you have been here for that long, but… I just wanted to say thanks. I know not… every memory we've made has been a great one…" mental images of the Iron-Masked Marauder and the Rocket children were swiftly shoved aside. "But as a whole… These past two months have been the best of my life. I had no idea what to think when I first left my home, but nowadays, the thought of the great road ahead has started to bring me some excitement to accompany that sort of anxiety." he put a hand to his chest. "I obviously can't speak for any of you, but with everything that's happened, and everything we've accomplished, I'd like to believe that we're a family now. All of us…" his eyes lingered on Tempest for just a moment. "We're not even at the halfway point yet, and the amount of trials are just going to be doubling from here on out, not to mention their intensity, but we've made it this far for a reason, and I think we can go all the way for that same reason. I hope you all feel the same."

Pikachu's cheeks jolted as the electric mouse sank to all fours with a grin. Beside him, Nebula patted the rodent's back with one wing, while raising the other with a determined smile. Valiant crossed his arms with a confident nod, Eevee's tail wagging beside him as Tyrunt giddily jumped up and down. Not too far away, Tempest's pincers began clicking madly, a sharp grin indicating a hunger that had yet to be quelled.

Ash's face nearly split into two at the sight. If they could go this far in just two months… then where would they be in four? Half a year? Just how far will they have gone in a full, entire year?

They were about to find out, because they weren't stopping here. Or at Saffron. Or at Vermillion or Fuschia.

Had Professor Oak lied to him? He didn't know. Did the kids in Pallet Town still think that he was a loser? Probably. Had Surge slaughtered them? Yes.

But did any of that really matter? Perhaps once, but… he couldn't afford to let it. And he no longer had any sort of inclination to. When he had first left Pallet Town, he had been using the words of other people to push him forward, and push him back. It had taken Professor Oak's encouragement to get him back on his feet after his first battle with Gary. It had taken Janine's encouragement to get him to reconcile with Pikachu. And how many times had Elacia told him that he was better than he thought he was, back in Pewter?

He had spent roughly half a decade allowing people like Gary and his friend's to be the judge of him and his capabilities. To the point where, even after bouncing back from his poor grades and passing the Indigo league Qualification Exam, he would still continue to deny his own potential at any slip up. Words of encouragement that most people would most likely see as standard procedure were like life support for him.

But he didn't need that anymore. The only encouragement he needed were the past two months that he and his new family had endured. From pulse pounding Gym battles to life-threatening terrorist encounters. The reminder that they were capable of making it through such things, the reminder that they had already earned three whole Gym badges, fair and square. That was what pushed him forward now. And this time, there wouldn't be anything around to push him, or any of his friends back.

If all of his peers back at home thought that he was a lost cause, some "worthless" person who's only use was to be cast aside as a cautionary tale of falling behind and not living up to expectations, then that was what they thought. He didn't need to prove them wrong any more than he needed to let their comments limit his view of himself. At this point, he had told himself that several times since first beating Brock. It was time he stopped reminding himself, and just did it.

He wasn't in Pallet Town anymore. And he'd only be getting further away as he and their family made their way eastward. No more clinging to encouragement from others as though it was the only strength he had to draw from. No more taking ridicule for fact, as though it was the final authority of where he would go. It was time to start fresh. For real, this time.

They wouldn't stop until they reached the finish line. And it was waiting for them at the Indigo Plateau.

His thumb shot upward as he raised his arm in front of his team. "Glad to hear it, everyone! We all feel the same way, then!" his eyes could be mistaken for a Charizard's tail. "Then let's keep on forging ahead, and show this boundless world what we have to offer it!"

The eruption of cheers was more uplifting than any reassurance or mockery could ever live up to.

/

Ash breathed in the refreshing, morning air as he walked through the automatic doors of the Pokemon Center and out into Celadon City. The heat of the sun was more noticeable now that it had been given the chance to rise, although the familiar morning breeze still made itself known as the early, urban commute presented itself at its high point in front of the young rookie trainer.

Pikachu had chosen to remain outside of his ball, perched contently on his trainer's shoulders as the young mouse smiled at the streets ahead. Beside Ash, Valiant had also chosen to remain outside, taking in a deep breath and trying to clear up the butterfree in his stomach as the trio prepared to leave the Pokemon Center behind for the day. A somewhat determined glint entered the Kirlia's eyes before he glanced up at his trainer.

Adjusting his cap, Ash took a moment to admire the scenery of the city before nodding to his teammates. "The address is at a place called Scissor Street, or Breeder's Lane, as it's been nicknamed. A bit of a walk from here, but we'll follow the signs."

Pikachu raised his tail in affirmation as Valiant crossed his arms for a moment while nodding. With nothing more to be said, the trio turned and headed westward. The sounds of passing vehicles and occasional honking horns dominated the collective silence between the three, before Ash eventually spoke up.

"We should probably leave in a couple of days." he announced as his eyes remained on the signs ahead. It felt as though, the larger the city, the more of a maze it was to navigate. "It won't take us long to reach Saffron from here. Sabrina should be back by then, or at least getting back soon." the mood in his eyes shifted. "After that, it'll be a matter of deciding whether to return to Vermilion, or head for Fuschia first. We're not going to have it easy either way."

It was something he had decided to put off thinking about until they had defeated Sabrina. Their victory over Erika had most certainly been uplifting following their collective humiliation at the hands of LT. Surge, but the fact remained that they couldn't remain away from Vermilion forever. In a technical sense, they absolutely could: they're were plenty of other Gyms in Indigo that could be challenged in Surge's place, and they could always take the Magnet Train from Saffron to Goldenrod and tackle Johto for the rest of their Gym Badges. Nothing was stopping them, and it certainly wasn't uncommon, but now that they had attempted the Gym, he didn't want them to turn away from it. It didn't feel right to have that kind of loose end.

But there was another Gym Leader who was equally known for their merciless track record, and that was Koga of Fuschia City. An expert in strategy and underhanded tactics, the poison type specialist was an alternative to Surge, in the event they decided they weren't ready for a rematch so soon, but it didn't make him any more of a comfortable or desirable opponent than the ruthless electric type specialist had been. Regardless of what choice they made, once they were finished with Sabrina, they would effectively have to pick their nonliteral poison, because neither of the succeeding two Gym challenges was going to be a pleasant experience for them.

But that was precisely why Ash was doing his best to push the impending decision to the back of his mind for a moment. Planning ahead was one thing (and most certainly important), but after being exposed to LT. Surge's prowess firsthand (not to mention knowing that Surge wasn't the only one who had such to offer), the young rookie worried about the risk of falling into overthinking territory. Eventually, he would have to make the choice between LT. Surge and Koga, and surely, he could very much regret either decision, but with all the obstacles laid out in front of him and his family, he was determined to take this journey one focused stride at a time, focusing on the hurdles as they came into view, and not continuously stress over two people he knew they weren't ready for.

And for now, their latest tasks would be reaching Saffron and facing off against Sabrina and her brilliant squad of psychics, and that itself was a challenge requiring their undivided attention. Just about any trainer who knew about Sabrina, knew of her high intelligence and cool-headed composure in just about any situation. If he distracted himself from the future and took his focus off of the task at hand, she'd make him pay for it tenfold.

But prepping for Sabrina would come when it was time to leave the city. For now, they'd enjoy their brief downtime following their battles with LT. Surge and Erika. It couldn't last too long, as Ash feared becoming too complacent to easily return to the road (which had arguably happened back in Pewter City), he certainly didn't want to take no breaks at all.

Pikachu and Valiant took in their trainer's words, nodding along to what he was saying, although Ash could tell that their focus was elsewhere. Pikachu's head was constantly in motion as his eyes absorbed the urban scenery that they passed by, whereas Valiant's gaze was straight ahead, seemingly deep in thought.

Ash grinned, tickling Pikachu under the chin for a moment (much to the mouse's pleasure) before he continued. "But we won't worry about any of that for now. I think we all deserve some time to ourselves, don't you?" seeing that they were in agreement, he allowed the comfortable silence to return, simply focusing on the walk ahead as the gentle breeze of the morning brushed their bodies.

/

Although it had always been apparent, Ash couldn't help but feel that he was having a much easier time taking note of the atmosphere of Celadon City this morning. Maybe it's because there was no current task at hand, allowing him to enjoy the surrounding environment as though it were some sort of vacation.

The sidewalk wasn't overly crowded, any passing pedestrians simply moving by them without issue. The occasional honking from the cars on the road wasn't frequent enough to be disruptive either. A few bird Pokemon flew overhead, some Pidgey perching themselves on power lines or balconies.

As always, the tall skyscrapers constantly surrounding them almost felt like some sort of ceiling, with the skyline serving as a reminder that there was always something above them. It was as though they encased all the other buildings that they surrounded, not to mention the people within the city itself.

Eventually, they reached the sign that they were looking for, stopping in front of it as Ash read aloud.

"Scissor Street." Ash gazed ahead as he spoke the name out loud. No skyscrapers in this particular section of the city, although the buildings were still quite tall, and the skyscrapers surrounding the area were still far from invisible. Valiant stiffened momentarily upon seeing the sign, before following after his trainer as Ash proceeded forward.

The young boy had removed Suzie's business card from his pocket, double-checking the address that they were looking for. "Judging by where we are now…" his eyes traveled between the various addresses that they were currently passing by. "Just a few more minutes of walking."

As Ash led Valiant down the sidewalk, Pikachu still perched on his shoulder, the boy took the time to examine the area surrounding them. As expected, Scissor Street reminded them why its nickname was what it was, with just about anything related to Breeding making itself known to the trio's eyes.

Shops that undoubtedly sold various care products and grooming tools, as well as recipe books for Pokemon food, and encyclopedias focused on biology and Egg Groups had a very clear presence on Breeder's Lane. As did the various salons in the area, ranging from general, jack of all trades, to specialties such as fashion or grooming, massages, or consultants.

This was the place that made Celadon's status in Indigo's breeding community what it was: It had all begun when a few high-profile Breeders of the time had coincidentally begun setting up shop in the area, as well as an extremely popular fashion salon. As the presence of these big names gradually began to draw more trainers towards that particular section of the city, more people in the community began to take note, quick to cash in on the obvious goldmine that was beginning to grow. Nowadays, salons could be found all over Celadon, ranging from groups of Breeders to individuals, as well as various different types of shops that were dedicated to the profession.

But the heart of it was all here: Scissor Street, the area where it had all started, with the reputation that had now affectionately nicknamed it Breeder's Lane. It was the place trainers came to to buy materials, consult help and advice in raising a specific Pokemon, buy Eggs that would hatch into a Pokemon or adopt a newly hatched Pokemon ( in either case, even being able to request specific criteria such as Egg moves or abilities if they had enough money), get their Pokemon groomed or massaged, and the list went on. Anyone who found success in a field as robust and versatile as Pokemon Breeding was set to flourish. And in Celadon, the booming market meant no shortage of momentum to go around.

From what Ash had known, Suzie had been operating within this area of the city ever since her career as a Pokemon Breeder had first taken off. Although many Breeders traveled outside of their respective territories to take on other clients, Suzie had done so progressively less as her time in Celadon City had continued. Nowadays, she was essentially integrated into the city's breeding culture, not only boasting a five star salon that offered just about anything a trainer could want from the breeding market, but various magazines highlighting her, always jumping at the chance to publish her latest articles, and nearly the entire community paying attention to her latest statements and philosophies, both about what it took to make it in the field, but also about what promoted Pokemon health the most, and how to establish the proper bond with them (the latter two being things that trainers would often latch onto as well). She also hosted a weekly lecture that was open to the public, and a website with no shortage of views. To say she was a celebrity amongst her peers and colleagues would be an understatement, and of course, being stationed in the same city as a Gym Leader ensured great, mutual business for both her and Erika.

In addition, she was known for her stunning record in beauty contests, from the dazzling glamor of the Pokemon that she entered (especially her Vulpix, which was just about as renowned as she herself was), to the collection of first place prizes that had been accumulated as a result.

Despite being a jack of all trades, however, her clear specialty was in care, and as a consultant. Massage, in particular, was an area that she found herself nearly unrivaled in, with more techniques than Ash could hope to count (and he likely didn't even know about all of her's). Her talent in culinary was also something of a legend, with her knowledge of Pokemon nutrition and cooking in general coming together perfectly. It seemed as though she was always coming up with new recipes, many of which she proudly shared with the community. And of course, her status as a made her lectures an ideal addition, with each week focusing on a variety of different topics that she would go impressively in-depth with, with a present audience of trainers, aspiring breeders, and the general community eagerly taking notes. Even as her work became more and more centered around Celadon, it hadn't decreased her popularity, instead just making her activity more focused and rhythmic. Local breeders weren't necessarily any less common than those that frequently traveled, and Suzie's versatility, passion, and unmatched creativity in her craft had cemented her as Indigo's top breeder, one who all in the field aspired to be.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

And after just a few more minutes worth of walking, her salon, the heart of Breeder's lane, now stood proudly in front of the trio.

It was a multistory building, likely because the place was also her home (and home to whatever Pokemon she was currently in the midst of raising). Certainly not as tall as the skyscrapers, but among the taller buildings in the general area. Ash assumed that the breeder's living quarters were located above the first floor.

The boy stopped short of the automatic doors to read the sign beside the entrance, listing the various services Suzie had to offer. "Here we are." He looked between Pikachu and Valiant. The Kirlia tensed for a moment, before his muscles relaxed with a nod.

The exterior of the salon was fairly unsuspecting. Nothing overly flashy that would suggest it was run by Indigo's top Pokemon Breeder. To an outsider, it was just another shop, with nothing significant to make it stand out. The design overall carried a more humble feel than a few of the other salons and shops that the trio had passed by. And given the place's reputation, perhaps that was all it needed.

Looking behind him, Ash could see his psychic companion hadn't moved much further. There was an odd expression on the Kirlia's face. "Hey, Valiant, you okay back there?" Pikachu called out a bit for added measure.

Realizing Ash and Pikachu had noticed him, Valiant jolted out of his trance, shaking his head for a moment before shooting an apologetic expression at the two. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Ash scratched the back of his neck for a moment, a brief wave of concern passing over him before he nodded in response. Valiant had done this before, but had always brushed it aside fairly quickly. It was a bit frustrating, Ash had to admit, but the young rookie had never wanted to press too far. Momentarily satisfied with his friend's response, he turned back to the building.

Ash felt Butterfree in his stomach once more, before quickly pushing it back down. 'Relax, Ash.' he talked to himself. 'She may be the top breeder, but she's also Elacia's friend. There's no need to be intimidated.'

With that in mind, the boy took a step forward, only for the doors to open before he was in range.

"Thanks again, Suzie! See you at your next lecture!" a blond girl a few years older than him exited the salon with a Wartortle in tow. Almost bumping into him, she quickly apologized before moving to the side. Before the doors could start closing, Ash headed in with Valiant somewhat lagging behind.

Pikachu jumped off his trainer's shoulders as the doors closed behind them. With both his partners at either side, Ash took a moment to look around the room.

For the most part, the interior continued the exterior's element of not appearing overly flashy, although the overall top-tier nature of the salon felt far more apparent than before, for whatever reason. The entire room (which was fairly big) was clean enough to shine like a treasure. The chandelier that acted as the overhead light looked fairly expensive from first glance, as did the equipment that Ash was able to get a look of. It truly felt as though they were stepping into a top-of-the-line breeding salon.

Pikachu hummed as his gaze traveled around the room, while Valiant's trace of the place went by a lot more quickly. A voice directed their attention to the other end of the room.

"Morning! May I help you?"

At the end of the salon, a woman stood up with a brush in hand after tending to the Vulpix relaxing on a cushioned chair, and made her way to the group with a relaxed smile. Long, teal hair fell behind her shoulders as Ash's head turned in her direction. At his feet, Pikachu stopped to wave at her, while Valiant froze for a second.

Looking between Pikachu and Valiant for a moment, she stopped in front of the group, extending a hand for Ash to shake. "Welcome, the name's Suzie. Is there anything I can help you with today?"

Keeping his nerves down, Ash met the woman's brown eyes while accepting her hand. From the corner of his eye, he could see Valiant shifting to get a better look at the Vulpix far away, while Pikachu joined the Kirlia. "Hi, I'm… actually a friend of one of your colleagues." he took a moment to put together the sentence.

Suzie perked up at that, but didn't seem too surprised. Given the connections she likely had, this might not have been uncommon for her. "Oh?"

Deciding to speed things up by showing her, Ash dug through his pocket, before pulling out the business card with the Slurpuff. "Here." he handed it to her as the woman's features lit up.

A warm chuckle. "So you ran into Elacia? Makes sense. She's all over the place these days. No matter who asks her to sit still." as she returned the card, she asked. "So, what's your name?"

"Ash." The rookie returned the business card to his pocket. "Ash Ketchum." Her eyes went wide for more than a moment, prompting him to frown. "Something wrong?"

Her previously lax expression had formed into one of unreadable surprise as she took a step back. "Oh! I… I was told about you… by her." her eyes suddenly shifted down to pikachu and Valiant, the latter shuffling awkwardly before returning the breeder's gaze for a moment.

Ash perked up as Valiant shifted in his direction. This time, it seemed like he wanted to tell him something. "You sure everything's okay, Valiant?" This was the second time in a few minutes at most.

The look in Valiant's eyes was one of hesitance, suddenly breaking his gaze away from Ash and glancing around the room, as if trying to gather something. Finally, he turned to Pikachu, and began to speak verbally.

Ash was once again left wishing he could speak Pokemon language as a startled expression appeared on his starter's face. "...Pikachu?" he thankfully didn't need to wait too much longer, however, as the Kirlia turned again to face him. This time, the look in Valiant's eyes was a lot less awkward as he angled his head upward to meet his trainer's confused gaze.

"I… I was born here."

A wave of confusion passed over Ash for a moment as he attempted to process his friend's mentals words. "What do you mean you…" the statement began to sink in like a delayed reaction as he looked back at Suzie, suddenly noting the recognition in her eyes. "Wait, you mean, here? You were born here?" A nod.

Suzie interrupted the young rookie's growing confused (and startled) state. "So it really is you… Elacia seemed confident." her hand rested on Ash's shoulder. "Mr. Ketchum, you ran into Elacia at Pewter City, right? About a week into the Season?"

He nodded affirmatively. "Yeah… that's right." He looked back at Pikachu and Valiant. "So you mean…"

The sigh she let out conveyed relief, as if a pile of bricks had just been lifted from her shoulders, but the look in her eyes was apologetic. "You must be so confused, given that she beat around the bush." she worked up a smile. "Here, let's go to the back, and I can explain."

/

"So, is Valiant saying that you raised him?"

The group was seated at the other end of the room, Suzie inviting Ash to sit in a nearby chair as Vulpix hopped onto her lap. The fox offered Valiant a friendly bark as the teal-haired woman gently caressed her fur, Pikachu joining the psychic's side as the two Pokemon sat atop a nearby counter.

The fairly quick trip to the back of the room had given Ash the seconds he needed to fully process what his friend was saying. Back when he had first encountered the young psychic as a Ralts, he had wondered what a member of his species had been doing in a forest of all places. It was something that he hadn't had any explanation before, and he recalled the young Ralts' moveset being a tad more advanced than expected, albeit not by much.

'Celadon is just east of Viridian Forest…' Ash racked his brain as he took his seat a few feet away from Suzie. But then how did…

"Not entirely." Suzie admitted. "You've had him longer than I did. But yes, I am the one who hatched him."

Ash almost mentally slapped himself as realization suddenly lit up in his eyes. "That's why Elacia wanted me to meet you, wasn't it?"

"I'd imagine." the teal-haired breeder nodded. "That's what she told me, anyway. Back when she was still staying in Pewter, she called me and told me about you and him. Said you'll be here eventually." she sighed. "I'm… sorry she didn't explain anything to you. I presume she wanted you to hear it from me, but… This is a lot to take in, isn't it?"

Ash raised his hands for a moment. "It's not your fault… or hers, don't worry." his eyes lingered to Valiant and Pikachu for a moment, before returning to her. "So, you hatched him? He was in Viridian Forest when we found him."

"You're right, I know it's confusing." Suzie's hand left Vulpix's head as her posture began to straighten out. Just before she spoke, her head suddenly turned to Valiant, before looking back to Ash. "Kirlia-Valiant." She quickly corrected herself. "He says you saved him from a group of Bug Catchers?"

'He must've talked to her mentally.' Ash reminded himself. At the current moment, Valiant was only capable of speaking to one person at a time when using his psychic abilities. "That's what happened, yeah. He was caught in one of their traps, and they were going to take him away." he scratched at the back of his neck. It was a memory that came natural to him. "We walked in on that. One of their members challenged us to a battle to decide who gets him, and we won."

Thinking back to their weird feud with the Bug Catcher gang brought back a lot of unpleasant memories of Viridian Forest, but there were two moments that would always eclipse that displeasure: Nebula and Valiant. He knew Pikachu agreed.

She nodded in acknowledgement. "Like I said, I'll explain everything. From the beginning." Her eyes met with Ash's. "Your friend was initially one of the Pokemon that I bred here, at the salon. He hatched alongside a few other Pokemon that were meant to be handed off to trainers. Due to my connections, I was able to get a hold of a few foreign Pokemon, to have some exotic species to hand out for the next Season, being this one." her hand brushed Vulpix's head for another moment. "Two of those Pokemon were a Gardevoir and a Dusknoir." she nodded over in Valiant's direction. "His parents."

Ash's eyes lit up. "Dusknoir! So that's how he knows Shadow Sneak…"

Nodding, Suzie chuckled kindheartedly. "Yes, it's fairly rare for a Ralts. Unless it's with another one of their typing, Ghost Type Pokemon are some of the most unlikely to mate outside their species. They rarely ever breed with another Pokemon that's not another Ghost." she nodded at the boy. "Anyway, the Pokemon that hatched were intended for business purposes, and they ended up going out early. Not directly to trainers, but to the local lab here that gives away starters. Us breeders often pitch in with that, naturally, but the Ralts," she nodded at Valiant. "Didn't seem like he wanted to leave. He found this place rather comfortable, and preferred it to exploring the outside world. So, I decided to make a rare exception and allowed him to stay, just until he decided he was ready to head off. So I had him longer than usual, long enough for him to feel like family." she sighed. "But unfortunately, that all ended pretty abruptly."

Ash frowned at her expression. "Is this about how he ended up in the forest…?"

A look of shame spread across her features as she sullenly frowned back. "I'm… afraid so…" looking down a bit, she gently began rubbing her arm. "I know this is all going to sound really sudden, but… before the current Season started, a couple of… Rockets broke into this place overnight."

Horror passed across Ash and Pikachu's now pale faces as Suzie's eyes gave off the impression of reliving a horrendous memory.

"Most likely, they were planning to steal the Pokemon I was keeping here. My partner Vulpix was currently being cared for at the Pokemon Center due to illness at the time." she nodded down at the fox. "And the rest of the Pokemon I was planning to hand out had already been sent to where they needed to go. In other words…"

"He was the only one here." Ash glanced sideways at Valiant for a moment before returning his gaze over to Suzie. "So… they took him."

Suzie nodded, her expression growing even more sullen as her hands tightened into fists. At the confirmation, Ash could feel a somewhat similar emotion building up inside of him.

'Team Rocket… just waltzed into here and kidnapped a baby…'

"I slept through the whole thing. I don't even know how they managed to come in, but…" she looked back up at Ash, meeting his eyes once again. There was clear guilt and shame in her gaze. "When they made their escape, they accidentally triggered the alarm system. The police were on their tails on the way out. They managed to lose them, however, and were forced to hide out in Viridian Forest."

Ash's face scrunched. "No way they'd be found there."

"Yes…" she shook her head. "Obviously, Erika couldn't afford to expend the resources necessary to search the whole forest. I tried looking myself a couple of times, but had no way of knowing where to start, and there's always dangers to being in there. I feared the worst when the pair of Rockets that performed the abduction were found dead just outside the forest."

Face somewhat pale, Ash turned to Valiant. "Do you… know what killed them?" His expression turned apologetic as Valiant's head lowered to the floor, although Pikachu earned a small smile from the young Kirlia when the mouse patted him on the shoulder.

Suzie's fists tightened again. "I was caught off guard by the whole incident. Nobody's ever broken in here before, and I was convinced that I'd invested enough in our security system. Clearly, I was wrong. I didn't know what to do. It ate at me for a while." She looked up to meet Ash's sympathetic expression with a small smile. "But eventually… I got that call from Elacia, where she told me about you. At first she seemed to think the whole thing was a coincidence, but she seemed more and more convinced as time went on."

Ash's cheeks flushed. "Ralts aren't commonly found in the forest, after all. Still, I had no idea…" again turned to Valiant, who looked between the two for a moment before nodding at Ash with a smile. All this time, the young psychic had technically belonged to someone else. It almost made him feel guilty, albeit only for a split second as he remembered the true circumstances behind their meeting. They certainly hadn't stolen him, after all. It was all just a crazy coincidence.

'So this is why Elacia wanted me to come here. She was the first to realize.' All of a sudden, Ash found himself making yet another addition to the list of debts he owed the red-haired Pokemon breeder.

A bit hard to fathom, hearing about it all at once, but yet, it explained everything. The presence of a Ralts in a forest of all places, rather than in an urban area. And one with a move like Shadow Sneak, no less. Viridian Forest was often most closely associated with Viridian City and Pewter City, due to being what directly connects the two together, but that also meant it was easy to sometimes overlook its relatively close proximity to Celadon.

'He's been through a lot.' the young boy realized with a frown. Kidnapped overnight, left to fend for himself in a scary forest after his abductors were apparently killed, and after probably spending his whole time within the comforts of this very salon. And then, right before they had met, he was nearly captured by those obnoxious Bug Catchers… 'Is this why he was so dedicated to being helpful? I knew we saved him, but I didn't realize the full story…' he turned to Suzie. 'Who knows how this must have affected her? She must have been so guilty, even if it's obviously not her fault.' She was certainly keeping it together, but even that was likely out of resignation. It would've been one thing if Valiant was lost somewhere in the city itself, but Viridian Forest? Just as difficult to track down, and far more dangerous. And now, she was probably just relieved.

Vulpix leapt off of Suzie's lap as she rose to her feet, making her way to the counter and petting Valiant's head. As if out of nostalgia, the Kirlia closed his eyes and smiled. "You've already grown quite a bit, it goes without saying. I'm sorry I couldn't look after you, but you seem to have been doing fine. The circumstances shouldn't have been forced on you. but now that it's all settled, I'm glad you found a trainer." A warm grin adorned her features as she turned to Ash, extending a hand as the young rookie stood up from his chair. "And importantly, thank you Ash. You might've saved his life. I'm glad he has someone to look after him."

Ash blushed for a moment, before turning to Valiant again.

Their encounter had been entirely by accident. He and Pikachu had just followed the sound of a scream in the forest, which had led to them finding a single Ralts strung up by one of the Bug Catcher traps. No indication on how Valiant had first gotten there, or that he had originally belonged to a famous Pokemon Breeder in Celadon City.

That one choice to follow the scream, however, had been a gift that kept on giving. It was Valiant who had helped Eevee acclimate, not to mention saved her life back at Mt. Moon. He was also the one who had helped raise Tyrunt, and since he was an egg no less. And on top of all of that, he had fought tooth and nail during every battle that he had been a part of, and had contributed to all three of the Gym badges that the team now held, to say nothing about his incredible performance yesterday. His strategic prowess was ahead of what would normally be expected from a Pokemon of his level, and that ability to operate without input had saved them multiple times over. And while training for those Gym battles, he had always been so devoted and focused, ever since Ash had spotted that determined glint in his eyes while beginning their preparations against Brock. And above all, he had always done his best to act as a moral compass within the team, and was one of the best friends any trainer could ask for.

Really thinking about it, Ash wasn't entirely sure where they'd be without the Kirlia. Valiant was loyal, tactical, devoted, and compassionate. He contributed to the team's success on such fundamental levels, and it had all started with a Bug Catcher trap…

Valiant returned Ash's grin as the boy turned back to Suzie and shook her hand. "The pleasure's all ours. My friends are the best, and Valiant's no exception. Right, Pikachu?" His grin widened at the electric type's happy response.

Suzie seemed satisfied with that, her smile maintaining as their hands separated.

A few seconds later, however, the moment was cut short as the door nearby opened. Everyone's head turned towards its direction, although Suzie didn't seem surprised.

Stepping into the room was a purple-haired girl with a spiky ponytail, accompanied by an Ivysaur. "Thanks again, Suzie. I just finished reading those documents you had me print out, and I can already tell it's going to be really help-" Pausing in place, she trailed off as she took note of the current scene, cheeks mildly flushing. "Oh, sorry." her gaze lingered towards Ash. "I didn't realize I was interrupting… something." her eyes somewhat narrowed as they landed on him, not in a suspicious manner, but somewhat analytical, almost as if she was trying to process something.

Ash blinked at the sight of the girl. She definitely seemed familiar, and was about his age…

He perked up. "Wait… Janine?"

Janine and Ivysaur perked up in return. "Hey! I thought you looked familiar! Hold on…" her hand rested against her chin for a second or two before her mouth spread into a grin. "Yeah! You're the boy I met on Opening Day! It's… Ash, right?"

A new memory suddenly came flooding back. His horrendous first day as a trainer, which had culminated in Pichu being injured due to his negligent incompetence. He had been in the lowest experience imaginable when arriving at Viridian City's Pokemon Center that night, when that girl from Fuschia had approached him and tried to give him some free advice. After that, she had held off those two Rocket grunts when they had tried to raid the Center, while he and Pichu made up and dealt with their Meowth together.

He remembered that night all too well, for better and for worse. At the very least, she was one of the better aspects of that memory.

He nodded with a smile. "Yeah, that's me." Hopping to the floor, Pikachu greeted Ivysaur with a raised paw (returned with a briefly raised vine) as Valiant looked on.

With a lax smile, Janine approached the boy. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" she extended an arm in offer. "Hope your journey's been treating you well, Ash."

Happily accepting the offer, Ash simply nodded back at her as the two shook. "Same to you. Nice to see you again."

Suzie chuckled at the exchange. "So, I take it you know my new client?"

"Sort of." Ash responded as the two rookies turned to her. "We met at Viridian City's Pokemon Center the night it was attacked. We haven't seen each other since."

"This world's getting smaller and smaller." Ash couldn't stop himself from chuckling at Valiant's lighthearted quip.

"Suzie's been helping me with a teammate of mine." Janine nodded over to Ash. "So I've been stopping by in the morning. Didn't expect to run into someone familiar, did we, Ivysaur?" she looked down to her starter, who shook his head with a small smile before nodding to Pikachu and Valiant as they approached him.

Suzie pressed her hands against her hips. "Well, if you give me a moment, we can take a break for a bit. Just need to put a sign out in the front.

/

Ash relaxed into the sofa cushion as Pikachu and Valiant sat down on the table in front of him. Not too far from him, Janine sat at the other end of the sofa, Ivysaur perched on the floor next to her. Suzie, who was seated in the cushioned chair on the other end of the table, had offered both rookies a drink which they accepted, Ash sipping from a cup of a grape juice, and Janine with fruit punch. Pikachu and Valiant shared a bowl of treats together, although they didn't eat much due to still being fairly full from breakfast.

The group had made their way into the backroom that Janine and Ivysaur had first come from. The floor was carpeted and soft, with a computer and coffee machine set up at the end of the room by a closed window. The room simultaneously felt like both a home and an office.

Janine glanced over at Ash as Suzie sipped from her coffee mug. "So your Kirlia grew up here initially? I imagine that took you by surprise."

"I won't deny that." Ash replied, looking between her and Suzie. "So, what about you two? You said Suzie was helping you with one of your teammates?"

Suzie spoke up as the purple-haired girl nodded. "Janine recently caught a Pokemon that Indigo's database has very limited information on. Since she wasn't completely sure what approach to take to raise it, she decided to come here and consult me. I have access to more research resources, so we've been reading up on it together to build a long-term plan for her to work off of. Things have been going pretty good so far."

Janine smiled at Ash's eagerly curious expression. "It's a Galarian species called Toxtricity. Evolved from a Pokemon called Toxel that I caught a few weeks ago. Heard of them?"

As racked his brain for a few moments before shaking his head.

She offered him an understanding nod. "I can't blame you for that. I barely even knew of it before myself, and Toxel were a species I hadn't even heard of before I caught it, so I didn't even know they were connected." she sipped her drink. "Anyway, Toxtricity are an Electric/Poison Type species that come in two forms called "Amped" and "Low Key". Mine is an "Amped" version." her cheeks reddened. "I didn't even know much about his potential moveset, so I was playing it really safe before coming here, teaching him techniques that felt like a sure thing for him to grasp. It was limiting for him." she shook off the embarrassment. "But that's behind us, now. I have most of what I need in terms of information, so now, I can finally be the trainer he deserves." Her tone of voice was admirably determined. Not even in an over the top manner, but carrying herself in a matter-of-fact, assertive way. "I'd show him to you, but I had him practicing outside while I did some reading on his kind's inner workings, so he's resting for a bit."

Suzie smiled at the girl. "Yeah, you've certainly had a work ethic, alright. I've had plenty of clients who needed help studying a specific Pokemon, but you've seemed eager to learn, not just pragmatically."

The young girl's eyes lit up. "The academic side of training is too important to overlook." She took a brief pause while momentarily reaching down to pat Ivysaur's bud, which grew on his back in the same place where a Bulbasaur's bulb had once been. "I need to soak up as much as possible, especially since he's a poison type." she turned her head over to Ash. "I'm a specialist."

Ash blinked. "You mean… already?" It wasn't uncommon for high-level trainers to specialize in a certain typing or group of typings (in fact, in certain circles, jacks of all trades were the one considered fairly uncommon), but the majority of trainers most often started out with a variety approach, and gradually condensed themselves as time went on. Masters like Karen and Lorelei, as he knew, had done so. Usually it depended on which particular typing (or, on other occasions, multiple typings) a trainer ended up excelling at the most, with their respective careers progressively becoming more and more centered on that particular strong point.

"It's a bit of a tradition. I was obviously prepped for training in general, but my own education was particularly geared towards the poison typing. All six members of my team share it."

Ash had a hard time hiding his surprise. Misty had been a later specialist herself, but instead of exclusively using the typing, she had simply showed favoritism towards it. Although high-skilled trainers utilizing only a single typing (or even just a few) usually wasn't considered to be much of a risk, due to usually being able to adapt the team to their natural weaknesses as the trainer's mastery of the typing grew, younger, more inexperienced trainers had no such benefit to this. In fact, in some cases, type specialization among experienced trainers (particularly Masters) was even considered a benefit superior to that of generalization (a frequently debated topic), whereas a rookie (and often, even second-year) attempting type specialization was often considered a crippling approach, as the team's weaknesses would be far more exploitable when their trainer hadn't been in the field long enough to develop fully fleshed-out counters and contingencies for them.

He doubted Janine was unaware of this, however. He hadn't known her very long, but she seemed far from ignorant, and Suzie had already pointed out the girl's studious nature. Yet she seemed fully confident in herself, and not even in an arrogant manner.

"Aren't you worried about the limitations?" he decided to simply ask her. "Type specialization puts you at a disadvantage against a lot of opponents this early on in your career."

"A hurdle I'll have to overcome in time." she didn't even shrug. "It'll give me and my comrades more time to develop counters and backup plans if we begin working on them from the start, So I figured there was no point in waiting. Plus, we'll get to have a lot of early examples of how the shortcomings of the typing can come back to bite us first hand, which is necessary to adapt. The longer we take to commit, the later it will be when we're finally ready to see the fruits of our labor. Lose ten battles today, win a hundred tomorrow."

Her expression had barely changed, and that was probably what impressed Ash the most. This girl genuinely believed in what she was saying, and had clearly thought things through before taking such an unorthodox approach. And her reasoning was very… he almost kicked himself for not thinking of it before.

Now that he thought about it… this vibe he was picking up from her wasn't all too different from back when they had first met on that one night. Just with an added two months worth of hands-on experience to back up her clearly well-founded confidence and posture.

"Oh…" he stuttered, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to pry."

She seemed unoffended. "I know you weren't. It's fairly unusual, but I needed to start thinking in the long-term as soon as possible. My father and aunt both did that and found success."

"Especially your father." Suzie muttered quietly with her coffee mug to her lips. Placing her beverage down, she spoke up. "You're right about that. There's a reason why certain approaches to training are popular, usually because they're proven to work, but that doesn't mean they are the only options that you have. Pokemon training is one of the most versatile career choices somebody could have, you shouldn't limit your methods to the crowd. Every popular trend starts somewhere; what's labeled "unorthodox" today could be the next commonplace decision next year." She looked between the two kids. "Your field is constantly evolving, and probably won't stop as long as it continues to exist. If you want to evolve with it, then you should push that progress by going ahead of your peers, rather than following after. Be the trainer that sets the next big example."

Ash blinked at her words, his feet suddenly becoming somewhat interesting. Setting trends for everyone else to follow, while reinventing the wheel. That was something for the best trainers in the world to do. People who had mastered the wheel and utilizing that mastery to reinvent it. As a rookie, he had naturally tried to get his foot in the door by utilizing what he already knew. Like almost any first-timer, he was something of a follower.

"Any Pokemon, huh? That kind of mindset is the same trap most rookies fall into. It's why so many people in the field look down on newcomers like us."

Paul's words came flooding back to him. Their first ever exchange, and all Ash could focus on back then was how much he disagreed with the other rookie's philosophy. But had he really taken the time to understand why Paul felt the need to push such thinking? Paul had hardly been nice that day, but by making things personal, Ash hadn't separated the personality from the motive.

'The same trap most rookies fall into…' Ash replayed the thought in his mind. 'Lose ten battles today, win a hundred tomorrow…' he had been so focused on passing the Exam, trying to get better grades, and tackling whatever challenge he knew he had to face. His manner of planning ahead had been limited to however he approached his travels. Which, as he now realized, was overthinking it. What he hadn't applied that to, which was far more worth it, was his mindset. His strategy. His approach to training, and the kind of trainer that he wanted to be.

'Janine and Paul both had a cohesive plan from the start. The two of them haven't been thinking like rookies.' his head briefly turned towards the purple-haired girl. 'Gary had the knowledge. They had the foresight. All of them had left home with something that drove them ahead of the pack from the start, while I was busy in the back, playing pinball with my self-esteem.'

Looking forward at the table, a smile crept its way across his lips. To realize how behind he was… that used to be so demotivating. But that was part of the problem, was it not? Now, he felt like he reached some form of clarity… a relief. Satisfaction from the realization of where to improve.

"You look like something's on your mind, Ash." his smile didn't drop as he turned back to Janine.

"I was just thinking about what she just said." he replied cheerfully. He looked back to Suzie. "Thanks for that."

Suzie's grin carried a maternal warmth. "A breeder's job is to care for Pokemon and promote their upbringing, but by extension, that also makes us companions to trainers like you. Your careers deserve the same nourishment."

"You really do remind me of Elacia, when you say that."

She giggled. "To some extent, I think her past as a trainer and affinity for breeding is what made her the perfect person for the job."

He wouldn't argue with that. In the short time he'd known her, Elacia was probably the most helpful figure he'd met on his travels thus far. For the state of mind he had been in, it retroactively felt like she was just what he needed. She'd listen to him talk, gave him the responding guidance when she had never been obligated to, had pointed out a major hole in his training regime that surely would have cost him against Brock had the oversight not been corrected with haste, and had provided him with a golden opportunity in the form of an egg. An egg that had hatched into one of his best friends.

'She even saved our lives.' Ash recalled the encounter with Butch and Cassidy, but did not voice it.

"By the way, Ash." Suzie spoke up again. "She told me she sold you an egg as well."

Ash nodded back at that. "Yeah, 'sold' might not be the best word for it. I kind of have to pay her off."

Janine crossed her arms in understanding. "That's no surprise. Eggs are expensive. I don't think any breeder would expect you to have the money so early on."

"The ones who aren't greedy, anyway." Suzie added on. "But those breeders who are only in it for the money rarely have the mindsets it takes to excel in the field anyway. Patients have always been a part of the game around here." she tilted her head. "So, what was the price?"

"Seven...thousand." Ash stuttered out the answer. Certainly not a price he was used to.

Suzie didn't seem too surprised (she probably already knew what kind of an egg that it was), but Janine responded with a mild gasp.

"That's a bit much even for an egg. If you don't mind, what species did it hatch into?"

Ash grinned a bit. "A Tyrunt."

Her eyes widened. "No wonder…"

Suzie laughed. "Betcha that was quite the surprise for you, too, right Ash?"

His face reddened. "You can say that again. Especially after I read the packet she gave me. They're certainly not the easiest creatures to raise, even if it ultimately pays off in spades later down the line."

She nodded along to him. "I'd say, she did it on purpose. She mentioned to me that she was hoping you'd challenge yourself, and I'll bet that was her way of doing it. Have there been any problems?"

A flashback to the night with Tempest played through his mind, but he pushed it aside as quickly as he could. "A-a little, I'll freely admit." he could see Valiant's frown. "But not since an… incident that took place. I don't think we're out of the woods, given the natural instincts that his species has, but it feels like we're over the hump. We did what we could to nurture him and promote a smoother upbringing that would hopefully minimize the… temperamental problems. Right?" he looked over to Pikachu and Valiant, both of whom nodded rather confidently at his statement.

"Good." Suzie seemed satisfied. "That's the most you can do." finishing up her beverage, she set her coffee mug down. "Would it be alright if I saw him?"

Ash rose to his feet. "Sure! Hold on…" a moment later, Tyrunt appeared on the table.

Janine stood up as Tyrunt took in his surroundings, and exchanged greetings with Pikachu and Valiant. "Wow…! I've never seen one before!" pulling out a purple Pokedex, she turned to Ash politely. "May I?"

Ash shrugged nonchalantly. "Of course."

Flashing him a grateful grin Janine held the device out in front of Tyrunt, who stood still with an innocent expression upon realizing what she was doing. The purple Pokedex scanned him and played the recording, which Ash had already heard before when he had first scanned the young royal heir Pokemon after his hatching.

The poison type specialist lowered her device before returning it to her pocket, a satisfied expression adorning her features. "You were right about it paying off, Ash. He'll be dangerous when he grows up." she flashed the young dinosaur a reassuring grin after noticing his look of mild confusion. "In a good way, of course!" He smiled at that.

"Tyrantrum are about as top-of-the-line as you'd expect from a fully evolved dragon, Suzie confirmed back as she knelt down to meet the dinosaur's gaze. "Hello, little one." Tyurunt's smile widened as she reached out to gently pat his scales. At her request, he turned to the side a bit as the breeder examined him.

"He definitely saved us when we battled Erika yesterday." Ash spoke up after he and Janine watched the exchange for a few moments. He turned to her. "How many badges do you have, by the way?" he had a feeling that he already knew the answer.

The girl held up her fingers. "Three so far. From Pewter, Cerulean, and here. You?"

"Same." his smile widened. "Where are you going next?"

"Saffron. I'll be visiting my father at Fuchsia eventually, although I'm not fully decided on which path to take there yet. Either way, Sabrina will be my next stop."

"I'll be challenging her too." Ash nodded. "Still undecided between Vermilion and Fuchsia. I'm trying not to prioritize those for now."

Her lax grin spread across her features as she turned to face him in full. "It's nice to see you doing so well after that night."

His cheeks flushed. Right… she hadn't exactly seen a very promising side of him. "Yeah… things really didn't go my way starting out." he briefly turned to Suzie and his team. "But that's all in the past. Pikachu and I worked things out. And I'm hoping to sort things between my newest teammate and the others as soon as possible."

Actions spoke louder than words, after all. He had promised Pikachu a fresh slate after Team Rocket had been driven off back in Viridian. Somewhere down the line, he had earned the mouse's confidence, a reassurance that he had failed to provide him with in their less than pleasing first interactions.

Her smile remained. "Can you believe it's officially been two months?"

Looking at her now made the thought even more surreal. Up until now, he had only known Janine for that one day alone. It was the only memory he associated her with. He couldn't talk to her without realizing how long it had been since the last time. A technically large amount of time had flown by, but was filled with so many events that made the elapsed time feel quite humongous.

"It's a bit of a scary thought," he admitted. "But I'm glad we have something to show for it."

"Agreed."

Their heads turned as Suzie approached the two of them. "Your Tyrunt seems to be in relatively good shape for now." she gestured over to the dinosaur, who was currently being offered a few treats by Pikachu and Valiant. "His scales are healthy. As are his teeth for his age. You've been following Elacia's instructions." she looked at Janine. "You said you finished reading the documents. Are you good for today? You're welcome to stay and hangout."

The girl nodded gratefully. "Thanks. I don't have much else to do today, since I'm getting ready to leave the city soon."

Ash eyed the girl carefully, a tempting thought beginning to creep into his head.

He didn't have much on his agenda either... And neither did his team…

He could feel Pikachu and Valiant's eyes gazing at him from the side. It seemed they were starting to pick up on it…

"Hey Janine." she turned to him with a neutral, albeit inviting expression.

"Yes?"

Adjusting his cap for a moment, he found his way to her eyes. "I was wondering if you wanted to battle."

Her pupils seemed to light up as Ivysaur affirmatively gurgled beside her. With her grin becoming somewhat more fierce, her hand found its way to her belt. "I certainly won't say no."

Suzie spoke up as a satisfied smile spread across Ash's features. "I have a battlefield in the back. Barriers in everything. Some clients use it for practice, so you two are welcome." The two rookies nodded in thanks.