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Redwood Ranch Barn (Several years before Chapter 1) - Northern Unova Region

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Alex, his brother Eric, his friend Connor, and Connor's sister Jess had gathered again in the Redwood's barn for another Leaf smoking session. The stench of the Tauros and Miltank dung kept any authority figures from smelling what they were up to, but the Pokémon were in their somewhat spacious stalls in the building beside the barn, which was primarily used for storing their feed. Obviously, the group stayed far from the flammable food source while they padlocked the door, and enjoyed the effects of the herb.

Now, each of them knew the risks and potential damage to their brain that could come from smoking the herb at under the age of twenty five, but like most teenagers, they were stupid enough to sacrifice a bit of their seemingly limitless youthful vigor for a brief bit of fun. None of the other three partook as often as Alex, and upon learning of the recently studied effects of the herb by their society's scientists, he had cut back his own consumption to toking on a single bowl, twice a day. It had taken some willpower, but over time, it had become more than enough to enjoy the effects, and, hopefully, not ruin his thinking organ.

Jess spoke then, as Connor took his friend's bong, and ripped it skillfully. "So Alex…you've never actually told me why you want a Pokémon so badly. Or why you can't have one."

Beside her, Connor practically coughed up a lung. "Arceus…Jess, the one thing I told you not to bring up!"

"It's fine." Alex said, cutting in. There wasn't much he wouldn't tell Jessica Gladstone, smitten as he was by her face, eyes, body, everything really. He didn't offer much, but when she asked, he always answered. He noted his brother was quietly watching as well, to his left. He was sitting across from Jess, as he'd made the mistake of being beside her before in such Leaf circles and had regretted not being in her line of sight. "I won't get into why I can't have one. My parents won't let me…let's leave it at that. As for why I want one…?"

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He paused, looking up at the rafters for several moments as he remembered the day he decided that, more than anything, he wanted to be a Trainer. Finally, he said, "Who wouldn't want one? You all have one. You know better than me how precious that bond is…and there isn't a single day I don't miss Saur. But it's more than that. I want to be the very best Trainer."

Before he could elaborate, Connor laughed at him. "Like no one ever was?"

That made the others laugh, but Alex fixed his friend with a hard stare from the intense blue, and now also slightly bloodshot, eyes. "Exactly." The chuckling faded, and he took a breath. "I have a plan, you see. An ideal team. Maybe not the best ever assembled…but they could be, if I could just train them hard enough-"

Connor had passed the bong to Eric then, who had ripped it, and exhaled. He chose then to interject. "But you can't train them, Alex. You'll never be able to. That's what the Doctor said." His brother's words cut deep as he essentially repeated their father, and Alex winced. Connor smoothly changed the topic then, and Alex let it go. Sleep claimed Eric first, and then Connor soon after. Leaving them to their hay bales, Alex and Jess climbed to the barn's top level, and then the roof, to smoke some more.

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Had he been more suave, Alex might've realized the starry sky unclouded by city lights or inclement weather was a rather romantic setting, but he was still dealing with his brother's words. Something Jess could tell. As Alex took his hit, she spoke. "So…what exactly did this Doctor say, anyway? I've never heard of one keeping someone from using a Pokémon. It seems...cruel."

Alex explained then, what he remembered of his trip down to central Unova. What Doctor Ein had said, the machine he put him on, how he'd claimed his potential was like Leon's, only to then turn around and destroy any chance of his parents letting him train by making them think he had a disorder that he was still fairly sure Ein had completely fabricated. "They declined to take any Arcean courses or enroll me in any, but when it came to his 'diagnosis', they trusted his word over even my Gruncle's."

Jess exhaled her own toke, as she processed this information. Not even her father had known why Frederick had kept his eldest son from having a partner when it was so obvious he had a connection with Pokémon. Whether it was the ranch's Tauros and Bouffalant, or her father's Arcanine, Alex always got along with them. They enjoyed his scritches. Even wild ones were unnaturally comfortable with his presence, despite how high he tended to tower over them. "You said you had a plan? Tell me."

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And so, Alex did. Or rather, he told her the parts he currently had figured out, and left out the parts where wooing her became important, almost integral, even. "...and then once I graduate, Terra and I will blow apart that stupid stump down there with Seed Bomb. That'll be the last chore I ever do on this Arceus-forsaken ranch. After that, I want a Shinx. A wild one, ideally. Luxray have amazing eyes, did you know? Their Attack and Special Attack stats are also pretty balanced. Very versatile, if not the fastest of electric types."

Jess chuckled. "Shinx are adorable. What about the rest? I assume you want a Charmander. I know how you and my brother obsess over Leon."

Alex nodded, setting the bong down, as by this point, it was ash, and they were simply enjoying the effects as they talked well into the night, under an orange waxing crescent moon. "Well, unlike your brother, I do actually want a Charizard eventually. It has to be the right one, though. One that won't shy away from the thought of facing down a Gigantamax Charizard. For my water type, I was thinking of a Mudkip. Swampert are pretty strong, and if I train it right, as versatile as a Luxray. I haven't figured out my psychic type yet. I know I don't want a Solosis. Maybe an Abra, or an Espeon. I'll have to see what's around."

"Will you have an A team and a B team like Nate or Hilda?" She asked.

"Hmm." He pondered, wondering if he could ever feasibly train twelve Pokémon at once. "Will I have a B team…I want to focus on getting a single team together, first. I'll worry about more partners once I train the ones I want. Besides, Nate didn't start making his until he was Champion."

Jess smirked at him. "I think you'd do well with an Espeon. But I'm biased, I love the cute Pokémon. What about your last one?"

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Alex glanced at her, smirked confidently, and then stared at the moon. "My dragon." He said quietly. "I want it to be my ace in the hole. Someone I can bring out against other dragons, or when Terra gets tired. I don't know which type yet, but I like the idea of a Salamence. I know there are Bagon around Draconis Mons, along with Axew and other species, so I'll have to look there."

Jess arched a brow at him as she listened. Draconis Mons was a peak just north of central Unova, and the Victory League's man-made plateau. It was historically significant to Unova once, but in modern times had become home to truly ferocious dragon types. "That mountain is off-limits for a reason, you know."

Alex smirked at her. "I know. But when has that ever stopped Trainers?"

Jess sat up then, and Alex's high self hadn't realized just how close she'd gotten over the course of their conversation. "I mean it, Alex. The Pokémon up there are ferocious. Untrainable. Don't be stupid."

He blinked at her, as he realized she was actually concerned. It felt nice, and his cheeks warmed. He was glad it was dark out. "I'm not an idiot." He said, flatly, and Jess winced, as she realized how that might sound now that she had context. "I'll hunt around the base." He continued, seemingly not caring about her faux paus, "There's usually young dragon types on their own down there. I'm sure I can find at least one who will come with me. There won't be a need to go near the summit."

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"Mm. Alright then. As long as you don't go up the mountain, you should be fine. We should head down and sleep." She said, stretching under the faint moonlight. Alex shamelessly took her in, and had to shake his head free of the thoughts that had both plagued men and simultaneously driven their race's survival forward for hundreds of thousands of years. He'd accepted that he was going to have them, but he refused to let them control him. He'd seen guys who didn't tame their urges, and he had no intention of becoming like them.

As she descended, he dumped the bong water over the roof edge, packed his Leaf jar and his equipment away in the barn's rafters, and joined the others in sleep. Unfortunately, this would be one of many Leaf-fueled conversations that slipped his memory, until it was too late to recall it.

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Present Day, Mall Town, Southwest of Bostonia City - Northern Unova Region

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The mall was crowded with hundreds of people, and the two rich kids blended well among them. Or rather, Alex did. Jessica stood out completely thanks to her hair and her looks, drawing the attention of literally everyone who saw her.

He had forgotten how noticeable she could be among normal people. He saw her confused look as she noticed the various and multicolored Unovans walking past them staring at her, and he leaned in to whisper in her ear, and explain. "They're not used to seeing someone as alluring as yourself. Though it could be the fiery hair." He had a newer shirt on now that was brown, with a green Pokéball on it, under a black jacket that had a useful, but thin green hood. It was proper travel attire for a Trainer, warm in the winter, breathable in the summer. A graduation gift from his Gruncle.

"I think you're imagining things. People attractive enough to catch an entire mall's attention only exist in dreams." She said, smirking as she scratched her Charmander under her chin.

"Then may I never wake." Alex muttered, as he looked around for the store he'd driven down here to find.

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His new color scheme more or less matched his future Torterra, and with a few more battles, he'd finally have one. There was no reason to hold off evolving anymore, as he'd caught Jess's eye and successfully asked her out, more or less. Just as he planned. He'd imagined this a thousand times, actually experiencing it was something else entirely. He still couldn't quite believe it had actually worked. The hot day had an almost ethereal quality to it, as if this was yet another of his daydreams. He expected to wake up at any moment, and realize he was still a Pokéless outcast.

They'd come to this town, a fair number of miles south of their home, for the enormous mall that served as a hangout, movie theater, and shopping center for the many sparsely populated towns north of Unova, but too far from Bostonia to make a day trip. Thankfully, in their society, business tended to thrive, and Mall Town was no exception. It was a place to do business, and had enough 'rural charm' to entice city folk from the south and the east into making the trek to Mall Town. The result was the massive mall they were now strolling through. If you couldn't find what you were looking for here, it was fair to say it probably didn't exist, such was the variety of stores. The prices for items could get a bit high, but Shinx was not that rare of a species. A shiny colored one wouldn't be too expensive, he hoped. He'd seen the price on the Pokésite of course, but what they actually charged you at the counter could, in his experience, vary wildly.

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His purpose here was multifold. Find the Shinx he'd seen on the Pokéstore's site, train up his Grotle into a Torterra, get his Shinx some experience if possible, and impress the girl next door who, as she looked around at the many shops, holding her Charmander, took his breath away for a moment. It was as she looked back at him and smiled, that he realized he was staring. Her Charmander blinked up at him, and made a soft noise. He scratched her chin, and the small red-orange Pokémon shivered in delight.

The poor thing had been a runt, rejected by her mother, and given to the Charicific Valley's keeper to hand to the Professor of Kanto. But they hadn't wanted such a small Pokémon for their potential Trainers, and so eventually, Jessica's father had been convinced to buy the small burning lizard while they were on vacation that year in Johto, living in their Goldenrod City apartment complex, or so Jess had told him. She'd originally wanted a Torchic or Fennekin, but after seeing the fire lizard on the adoption site, she knew she had to help.

It had either been that, or releasing her into the wild where the laws of nature would have likely seen her dead before long. Such things were avoided these days, however. The world was connected like never before, for Pokémon at least, and there was always a sympathetic heart in the world that would take in a runt or a stray who needed a home. Transportation only required a Pokéball.

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Hearing how she'd saved the little Charmander was what had made him realize that this neighbor of his was the one. Sure, he had eyes for her long before that, any guy would've, but her kind heart on top of her top tier beauty was the proverbial nail in the coffin.

"She really likes that when you do it." Jess said, frowning slightly. "Like, more than when I scratch her. Why do you think that is?"

He winked. "Magic fingers." She rolled her eyes, but the faint blush was there, on the pale cheeks. Before he started awkwardly staring once more at perfection incarnate, at least to his smitten eyes, he forced them elsewhere...and they landed upon exactly what he'd been looking for. For a moment, he put the ever-distracting thoughts that drove human procreation in the back of his mind.

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"There." He stopped, and touched her arm, fighting down the instinctual thrill from feeling her skin. He might've been a bit loopy from the Leaf they'd had before coming in, but he could've swore he felt a slight buzz of...something, where his rough fingers met the soft, warm skin. If she had a similar reaction, it didn't show. He pointed across the way at the Pokéstore, where they sold unwanted and highly desired Pokémon alike. There, in the window, was a bored looking Shinx, colored gold and black. Just as the Pokésite had promised.

A quick PokéGoogle search on the PokéNet for a special Shinx had given him the store's location, and he had been lucky to be close enough to make the trip in a day. It was fitting for today though, as it was quickly becoming the luckiest day he'd ever lived. When Jess had heard how near his next partner was, she hadn't backed out, and the car ride had certainly been pleasant. He wished he could've let Terra out, but there was no way he would ever fit in a car again, so big was he after putting off evolution for so long.

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As far away as the mall was, it wasn't really that unusual for the people of his town to go there, as their town was pretty small and remote. It didn't even have a PokéMart, as it was primarily ranches, which meant a few local stores trying to ignore the technological revolution, and a train station that charged absurd prices for tickets, because they could.

He hadn't wanted to use the train though, he knew the reaction to his companion would be similar, if not worse on a crowded metal tube where the scum of humanity tended to appear. He knew her Charmander wouldn't like it either.

Jess hadn't seemed to notice, but he could tell the little fire lizard hated cramped spaces. The entire car ride, she had been twitchy, until he'd managed to calm her by scratching her under the chin, a sweet spot that most Charmander shared.

The bored looking Shinx was licking his paw when he looked up suddenly, on instinct, and met his new Trainer's eyes. And from that moment on, they knew they were bonded. The cat gave him what seemed like a smirk. Alex returned it. Yes, this was definitely the one.

Alex didn't even blink at the exorbitant price tag on his new Shinx, who'd had been reserved for another, until Alex offered a sum four times larger, that he would pay right then and there.

His deal was graciously accepted. He could tell his father it was a charity donation, which it essentially was. Any Pokémon store could run itself on what he'd paid for years, and open additional branches as well, but his family could easily afford the cost. Plus, after decades of being denied a Pokémon and used for nearly free labor on the ranch, he was more than due a few thousand Pokédollars. His allowance had been pitiful, especially compared to his relative's, but it had been enough for Trainer items, which had become cheaper to make as more humans became Trainers at younger ages.

After changing out his ball and Original Trainer ID, as he was technically the first human to 'own' this Pokémon, the Shinx was his. He lifted the electric kitten into the air, and eyed him, before setting him on his shoulder. The cat purred against his Trainer's neck, and his hair flared under his hat as electrical current moved through it.

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Jess watched, amazed, at how easily he'd bonded with a new Pokémon. The ones from the store usually had an issue of some kind after being mistreated by their Trainers. The only real problem their world faced was people who abused Pokémon. That hadn't changed. All it took was a mindset that viewed them as tools, or 'lesser' beings because their brains weren't as 'advanced' as humanity's, and people could justify using them for anything. And because Pokémon were trusting by nature, as Arceus had made them, often they would follow even the harshest Trainer, if it meant potentially getting the praise they so desperately desired.

But for every Ghetsis, there was an Alex, it seemed. This Shinx did not have a defect however, as he was one of the store's ideal Pokémon with an ideal nature and a price tag only the rich could ever hope to afford. He was proud, and already strong enough to make sparks of his own. The little Shinx took great pleasure in sparking Alex with them, but they didn't actually hurt.

He was put inside Alex's custom Luxury Ball in black and gold colors, and appeared in a flash of blinding light that made him sparkle when he was called from it. The mall crowd around them watched, noticing the display. Just as he'd planned. Someone would surely want to battle a Shinx like his. He knelt down to the gold and black cat, petting his fur, and then checking his hand for paint, just in case. He seemed legitimately golden furred though.

"I'm going to call you Leo. What do you think? Do you like the name?" The Shinx blinked at him, then tilted his head, and nodded once. It would work. "Good!" Alex said, standing and looking around the crowded mall intersection. All he needed was to lock eyes, after all. They were surrounded by people and stores. There was no way he'd go unchallenged.

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"Yo, bro! Jess!" A voice called out, and Alex suppressed a grin. It seemed fate was giving him just what he needed. His brother. Eric. The brothers had always been rivals, and unlike Alex, he'd gotten a Squirtle when he was young, and had grown up alongside it. Alex had no illusions about who the favored son was, and he'd decided that he didn't really care. He'd show his parents his worth as well, eventually, but it wasn't his main goal, more like a byproduct of the heights he knew his growing team could reach. Buying a Shinx with their money was more than enough of a final snub to them, especially with that many zeroes on the price tag. They'd be furious, and he'd definitely lose access to the family bank account now, but it would take a few days for his father to notice the transaction and he'd be gone by then anyway.

Alex looked back to his brother, and knew that though he only had primarily water types, he was a skilled Trainer, and had been battling much longer than Alex had. Still, water types were weak against both electric and grass types, and Alex knew that though Leo was young, he'd still be a valuable partner after he'd benefited from a few Technical Machines.

Eric primarily trained against the other water types their cousins had, and those in town, while Alex had trained Terra in the harsh northern mountains to grow a resistance to his weakness. Now, the brothers would see which training style paid off more.

"Eric." Alex said, meeting his brother's gaze, "My new Shinx and I, along with my Grotle, would like to Battle you."

"Aha." Eric responded, sarcasm creeping into his voice. "The plan is in motion then?" His eyes darted from his brother, to their gorgeous neighbor, and Alex nodded.

His brother was his opposite in every way, short where he was tall, deathly thin where he was literally big boned, straight hair where his own was wavy and curled at the edges. The younger brother had caught Jessica's eye for far longer than the elder brother had. Yet he had never pursued her.

A love of Pokémon was one thing they had in common, but Eric was always busy researching on the few occasions the Gladstone siblings had wanted to hang out and enjoy a bowl of Leaf. Alex knew his childhood had been no picnic either. Being the favored son destined for greatness was almost as rough as being the futureless, mentally deficient farm-hand.

Almost.

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Eric had a tendency to win whatever contests of skill or athletics Alex ended up in against him. He also tended to be the best Trainer in his classes, and had a reputation in their town as a fairly decent battler. If Alex wanted to prove he was legitimately a Trainer now to those who'd claimed he'd never amount to anything, he would be hard pressed to find a better opponent to beat. That too, was part of his plan, before setting out on his journey.

Eric was studying to become a Professor, and even their granduncle was impressed by his scientific mind. He claimed Alex had a similar mind, but Alex was too focused on his grand plan for the future to bother with contemplating what he might do if he ever achieved his lofty goal of becoming the next World Champion. But his granduncle had always told him to aim high with low expectations.

Being able to even make it to the Masters Eight of the World Tournament was an ordeal on its own, or so his granduncle had told him. But it was one Alex was willing to endure. Nothing could be worse than living in a world of magical creatures, and not being able to bond with one as a proper partner.

Eric was thin, thinner than most because of an eating disorder that plagued his stomach. He didn't have much muscle on him, which once more made his brother look fatter by comparison. He was dressed much the same in a hoodie and jeans, but in blue colors that matched his Blastoise, and together, the three of them in green, blue, and shades of orange and red on Jessica's part, represented the three starting type colors quite obviously. People were staring.

Alex raised his voice, and Leo's new ball towards his brother. Leo watched his Trainer with sharp eyes.

"I said I challenge you, Eric Redwood, to a Battle. Outside. Bring as many Pokémon as you like, and substitute as many times as you wish. I will do the same, and I will beat you." Eric slowly raised his eyebrow to Spockian heights.

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"With two Pokémon, you're going to beat my entire team? Yea right, bro. Fine. I'll meet you outside." With that, he walked off, and some of the milling crowd watched with interest, following the younger Redwood. The majority of the others watched him and Jessica, but mostly Jessica. She was gorgeous, after all. The Charmander only added to her charm.

Her looks were unmatched, but she had, at least to his knowledge, never really used them. The boys had certainly tried, of course. But trying to tie her down was like trying to tame the wind. There was only one way to attract a free spirit like hers, and that too, was part of his ultimate goal.

"Are you sure about this, Alex?" She asked, frowning. She doubted his chances. Eric had always been better at battling. Alex was good at calming Pokémon, but he was a new Trainer. "You know you'll probably lose, right? This is your first Battle out of school. Against a full team. Maybe you shou-" He cut her off, and again, she saw the fire in his eyes.

"No. This is perfect. I couldn't have scripted it better if I was in a play. Sibling versus sibling! The showdown that was always meant to be." He smirked. "I've waited a lifetime for this Battle. I'm more than ready for Eric, even with two Pokémon. Now, I'll take them on the first step to the Victory League!" A few people sarcastically applauded his enthusiasm in the background, but a show was exactly what he wanted to put on. Nothing spread gossip faster than a performance, after all.

Jessica nodded. "If you're sure…" Now she felt confused. He had certainly impressed her with the battle against the Trainer Department Head, and his Turtwig evolving on schedule, but Eric had been training far longer. His Blastoise was surely much stronger than any Grotle, and it probably still knew Ice Beam.

Alex smirked confidently as Jess trailed off. "And I'll lead with Leo." That got her attention.

"You're leading a rival Battle with the Pokémon you just got?" She said, staring in disbelief.

He nodded, and smiled down at his Shinx. "Leo is my partner now, I trust him completely. I have the proper TMs for him, too. He won't let me down." Leo made a growling noise, but one that seemed more excited than angry. Sparks rippled over his fur. He was as hype as his Trainer was, more than eager to be out and about from his display in the store. With that, they strode off, and Alex began loading the disks into the TM Machine. In a relatively unpopulated sitting area by the entrance to the mall for which the town was named, or one of them at least, Alex waited patiently as the machine displayed how to use the moves in question.

A few minutes later, after stopping by a small training area in the mall and with encouragement from Karate Man Janus, who ran it, Leo had learned how to focus his Sparks into ranged attacks. His physical moves would always be stronger, but his special attacks weren't weak, either, and would give him much needed versatility, given the lack of useful physical electric moves with significant power. As the golden Shinx strode into the hot parking lot, he was brimming with confidence in his new move pool. How to manipulate electricity in ways he'd never known, but knew were far stronger in terms of damage than his Sparks had been.

"Are you ready Leo?" His new Trainer asked.

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The young Shinx came to grips with his newfound knowledge. He had the power. He would use it, even if he ended up fainting. There was something about this human, something that made him want to fight with all he had. If he did that, he knew he would still feel satisfied, even if they ended up losing.

He nodded at his new Trainer, and growled at the figure in blue as sparks flared along his beautiful fur. Eric spoke then, "Really? Are you sure you want to lead with the one you just bought?" Alex nodded.

"Fine!" Eric called, drawing his own ball, a blue affair covered in water drops. "Don't whinge when dad finds out you spent that much money on a painted Pokémon. Wash it away, Draking!"

Alex rolled his eyes. Leo was legitimate, even though fake shiny Pokémon were often sold as scams, Mall Town had a good reputation, and Shinx wasn't that uncommon of a species.

A Kingdra appeared across the small battle field, to the side of the parking lot. Dozens of townies were watching now, and there were a few laughs as they saw the formerly fat, awkward Redwood with his tiny Shinx walk up to battle a well-known water-type expert. He'd seemingly trimmed down again, but everyone in the know was well aware that Alex Redwood didn't know how to battle. At least, that's what they assumed.

The assumption wasn't entirely without basis. He had tried to battle people before, alongside wild Pokémon, but even those he'd become good friends with had run away after taking damage. A life or death situation was one thing. Battling for sport without the bond a Pokéball created was entirely another.

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"Even with type advantage, he has no chance." Someone in the crowd whispered. "I know" came a reply. "The dragon typing will make it too tough for a Shinx. But Alex Redwood never listens. He'll learn the hard way. Amateur."

"I don't know, didn't you hear how he graduated?" "Later. You shouldn't buy into rumors."

Jessica sighed, looking down at her Charmander. "At one point Chari, I would've said the same thing." She said, speaking too softly to be heard. After spending most of the afternoon with her neighbor, she was slowly realizing that this was who he'd been all along. She should've listened to her brother when he'd said he had potential. Connor had an eye for those kinds of things.

"Charmander. Char?" Came the response from the bundle in her arms. Jess grinned. "You're right. Let's do it." She looked up, grinning, and Chari raised her little arms as well, waving them frantically for her Trainer, as she was holding her up with her own hands. "Go Alex! Go Leo! You've got this!"

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Alex and his new partner turned at that, side-eyeing the girls in perfect sync, as the crowd quieted. He met her gaze from under the hat, where she saw the last hint of his hesitation fade. She was cheering for him. Her. The girl he dreamed about constantly. She believed in him, and that was all he needed. He smirked, and turned the hat backwards. Eric rolled his eyes, but some of the more enthusiastic gawkers whistled. There was fire in the amateur's eyes, and the veteran Trainer was coming off as entirely too confident. At the very least, it would be fun to watch.

Leo felt his Trainer's surge of confidence, and sparks radiated further from his fur. He'd battled before, but this…connection he felt now was new, exciting, and most of all, powerful. He was ready to give this battle everything he had. He had to prove he was strong too, if he was going to face down his sire someday. With this Trainer's help, he knew he could do it.

He growled at the much larger, much stronger Kingdra, and even the water dragon shivered at the look of ferocity in his eyes as his attack was lowered. Not that it mattered, for Draking was a special attacker. Leo knew he might go down…but these humans would remember how strong he had been against a superior opponent. Alex nodded to his oldest rival, and the battle began. Eric shouted at the same time his brother did.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Thunder!"

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The crowd gasped. These two certainly weren't using novice gloves.

The Kingdra sprayed at the Shinx, but to no avail. It dodged the water stream easily, taking only minor damage, and getting a bit wet. Which, of course, only made its attack stronger. Electricity bristled over its fur.

"Shiiiiinx!" Thunder burst down from the sky, and hit the water and dragon type head on. It winced, taking significant damage, and began panting. Leo grinned, baring his tiny fangs. The crowd, and especially Eric, looked stunned at how much damage the thunder kitten had managed to do.

"Again!" Eric shouted, eyebrows narrowing as his attack was dodged and countered with too much ease. His brother's Shinx was moving with speed his species just wasn't supposed to have.

"Dodge!" Came the cry of Alex, and Leo did so, his small, nimble form helping him miss the water completely. "Thunderbolt!" There was another cry from the small lion-like creature as a flash of golden electricity arced towards the Kingdra, hitting it squarely on the chest. It winced again, but powered through the hit.

"Smoke Screen!" Eric shouted, and Alex smirked as the area filled with dark clouds, pouring from the Kingdra's snout, and obscuring all vision of the fight in seconds. The crowd mumbled, displeased.

"Wait for it Leo…" Alex said, softly, "Use your ears…and then dodge." The Shinx obeyed. Someday, his eyes would be able to pierce clouds like this with ease, but for now, he relied on pure battle instinct and his other sharp senses. There was a deep inhale, followed by the sound of a torrent of water.

Leo jumped, dodging it once more as the Smokescreen also worked against the Kingdra who'd summoned it. "Now, Thunderbolt the direction it came from!" The little Shinx responded immediately, as if he and his Trainer had been partners for weeks instead of minutes. The Kingdra cried out in pain, and as the smoke faded, the mighty water type fell, fainted.

There was a stunned pause, before Eric shouted, "Draking! Return!" Alex's smirk widened. He had checked the Shinx's recorded level, and discovered that he had been kept from evolving for quite a while. Not as long as Terra, but long enough. They would need that power boost in this battle, and as Leo glanced at him, he nodded. The time was now, it seemed.

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The crowd's eyes were on Leo. He was growling, panting, and electricity sparked across his form. Now the fun began. "Do it!" Alex shouted as Leo cried out again, and evolved before their very eyes with bright spiraling double helix shaped energy that always appeared when Pokémon evolved. "Luuux…iooo!" Came the new, deep roar.

The little Shinx was gone. In its place now stood a fearsome looking cat that looked ready to keep fighting. And keep fighting he did, taking down two more of Eric's water types, a Gyarados with a severe type disadvantage, and a Poliwrath. By the end of that round however, Poliwrath's fighting type had drained the newly evolved Luxio with a swift low-kick that nearly knocked him out. The only way he'd even managed to weaken Wrath was with Thunder Wave, and several lucky rounds of paralysis. He was panting hard after using his fourth Thunder to finally bring the martially skilled water type down.

"Take a breather, my friend, and well done. You, are going to be one of my strongest." Alex said, genuinely impressed by his new partner. Leo had dodged like an expert, bunching his muscles with electricity, and then leaping. It hadn't always worked, but it had worked often enough, in this battle. Looking tired and proud, Leo returned to his ball, and rested, satisfied that he had demonstrated his worth to this blue Trainer, and the crowd.

Pokémon were a lot smarter than many people realized, and when someone insulted one by claiming it was overpriced and weak, one had to expect it to try and prove you wrong. Even if the win against Wrath had been mostly luck and timing, taking down a Kingdra and a Gyarados was nothing to sneer at.

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Eric called out from across the field, and his voice had a tinge of anger to it. He hated losing, especially to Alex. "Now you have my final three to deal with, Brother! They will beat you, and your novice Pokémon!"

Alex smirked, and raised the ball holding Terra. "A novice am I?"

The calls came out simultaneously. "Terra!" "Aurora!"

The Grotle appeared, in all his large, earthy glory, and across the way, an Aurorus, a prehistoric and revived rock and ice type, appeared across from him. The crowd made an 'ooo' sound. Ice beat grass. Hard. Eric smirked, some confidence returning to his stance.

Terra didn't flinch, but his Trainer did. He hadn't expected an ice type yet. Oh well. He was part rock, too, just like Tyran had been. Terra would adjust the plan as required. "Terra. Just like last time."

The Grotle nodded, and waited for the inevitable. He wasn't as agile as he'd been this morning, but his legs were much stronger. He just had to keep moving, and remember his footwork. He'd likely only manage one jump this time, though. He was much heavier.

"Ice beam!" The long-necked creature shot forth a powerful beam of frost that was sure to one-hit poor Terra. Or rather it would've, if he hadn't sprung to the side at that moment, and slammed the field with his feet as he landed, causing a massive Earthquake.

The entire parking lot shook, and the field was in chaos, as was Aurorus, whose Ice Beam had been disrupted by the massive attack. The damage it took wasn't the issue, it could've followed Terra with its attack and ended this quickly, but as the earth rose to strike it hard, it was dazed, struggling to recover its footing. It had never been in a battle like this, and Alex realized this must've been the newest addition to his brother's team.

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"Masterful, Terra!" Alex called out as he praised his starter, "Seed Bomb!" The Grotle's mouth glowed green, and the condensed ball of grass power, at least twice the size it had been when he was a Turtwig, surrounded the seed he produced and smashed the frilly dinosaur with a hard explosion. It whimpered once, before fainting. The crowd whooped. Though part ice type, the rock typing of the young Aurorus made it weak to grass moves. There was a reason Alex had wanted Seed Bomb. Being essentially the strongest physical grass move that didn't injure his partners, as he despised using such moves, he knew it would be Terra's best move. Frenzy Plant was useful, but mostly as a final attack. It left his friend wide open after use.

Eric had counted on a difference in type giving him the win, but had forgotten his opponent's type advantage, and as he recalled his Aurorus, he realized he didn't actually know what level Terra was, now. When the pair had returned home, he hadn't had time to inspect the Turtwig before he and Alex were outside training and doing chores simultaneously. Apparently, Alex had kicked his laziness and properly trained his Pokémon. The crowd cheered. Eric however, was red-faced and rapidly losing his patience. When had Alex gotten so good? And how had a turtle Pokémon dodged an Ice Beam?

"Vapor! Come!" Eric shouted angrily. Vaporeon was a water type that could learn ice moves, but it was still a water type. Eric wasted no time. "Aurora Beam!"

To which his brother responded, "Energy ball!" The two attacks met in mid-air, and the aurora beam pushed through, but was skewed by the sheer power and density of the Energy Ball it had collided with, the spin of so much condensed grass type energy altered its trajectory, and it slammed into the ground beside Terra, a credit to the strength of this Vaporeon.

Terra's attacks had been trained against genuine blizzards of the north and a fully grown adult male Tyranitar, but a type advantage was a type advantage. "Razor leaf!" The follow-up was quick and brutal, as roughly thirty razor sharp leaves came through the smoke of the attack collision, and hit the Vaporeon hard.

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"Acid Armor." Eric said, regaining some measure of composure. Alex hadn't used Frenzy Plant to one-hit his Vaporeon, something he had to do if he wanted Terra to have enough power for Blastoise. Now, he played it careful.

"That won't work. Razor Leaf Barrage!"

"What!" Eric growled. Hundreds of leaves shot from Grotle's back, twice as many as he had made when he was a Turtwig. Each of them slammed home against Vapor's Acid armor, whittling it down to nothing.

Terra, meanwhile, never looked healthier. In the water, Acid Armor was very hard to beat…but on land, especially a parking lot battlefield in the summer, water types were at a disadvantage. In this much sun, grass types were incredibly strong.

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Alex finished the Vaporeon with a swift Energy Ball follow-up that smashed through his brother's hastily chosen Hydro Pump. Had he gone with Ice Beam again, he might've won right there, but he wasn't on his game anymore. He never lost to Alex, not like this.

As Eric reached for his trump card, Terra began to glow. The entire crowd, save for Jessica, but Eric included, shouted "Oh, come on!" One evolution was rare in a battle. Two was just unfair…but this battle never specified against that in the rules.

And now a completely healthy, freshly evolved Torterra would face off against a Blastoise. Eric's predicament did not look favorable…until he realized that ground was also weak to ice. Looking across the field, he knew Alex knew it too. One Ice Beam…and that would be enough to finish this Torterra.

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It would be the attacking power of Blastoise against the natural defense of a Torterra, with type advantage. No, things were definitely not set in stone. Torterra could endure fire, but not ice, when freshly evolved. His shell was still new. As a Turtwig he'd been able to resist moves like Icy Wind or Powder Snow. Weak ice moves had been tough, and Ice Beam had ended their win streaks more than once. It would take time, years even, to train his new shell to withstand that kind of cold now that his weakness was quadrupled.

"Alright Squirt! Ice Beam!" Eric called, confirming his brother's fear that, yes, Squirt did still know that move. Terra was too big to dodge now, too unused to his bulk. He was massive, even for a member of his species, and while that was a sign of his strength, it would also make him unable to move quick enough to dodge. He was a defensive tank now, and with Seed Bomb in their arsenal, that descriptor was even more accurate.

"Take the hit!" Alex shouted as the Blastoise powered up the attack in his maw. He got a few glances from the crowd. That was just cruel, forcing his Pokémon to struggle against its major weakness.

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"Terra! Scenario Alpha." The giant tortoise Pokémon nodded, and trusted his Trainer. He hunched down to brace himself, watching the Blastoise as it powered up the attack. He'd glared at the grass turtle for months. Finally, they had a chance to battle properly. The Ice Beam launched from the cannon turtle's cannons, arcing across the field, and slammed home. It was too fast to dodge, even if he'd still been small.

They waited. The entire parking lot was silent. Finally, shivering, Terra stood, and snorted through the smoke of the colliding moves. He was seemingly untouched, and smirking at the Blastoise, as was his Trainer. They had planned for this, of course, and as planned, learning Protect had been a smart choice when he'd evolved earlier. Eric and Squirt stared angrily at the two, as the barrier from the Protect faded to nothingness.

Terra's attributes were maxed from all the pills and vest training, and he had only just become a Torterra. The heights he would reach with his new strength were limitless. All their hard training was finally paying off, it seemed. Terra would never be as quick as he had been that morning, but the trade-off was worth it, as his power now exceeded the strength of his brother's Blastoise by quite a margin. His type advantage all but assured a victory now, and the counter-attack was his.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

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Alex channeled the Champions he'd watched throughout his life, as he pointed at Squirt, and shouted the counter. "Finish him…Frenzy Plant!" The massive earth tortoise stomped on the ground, and the battlefield shook under his feet. He was larger now, a few inches taller than most Torterra on record, by the Pokédex's calculations, and Eric knew he was done if an attack like that hit.

"Dodge!" he cried in vain, but his Blastoise was too slow and defense heavy, like Torterra, to dodge. And unlike this Torterra, he had never been trained to take grass attacks, let alone the most powerful grass attack a starter could only learn and truly master by trusting their Trainer. Squirt had spent his days fighting other water types, and did his best work on a water battlefield.

To Squirt's credit he grabbed two the giant roots as they slammed into his claws, but the flood of other massive vines overwhelmed the cannon turtle, and knocked him back onto his shell, sending him crashing through the chunks of debris upended by the roots to the feet of his Trainer, fainted.

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Blastoise didn't actually weigh all that much, but his bulk was deceptive. Terra on the other hand, now a full adult, had to be pushing six to eight hundred pounds. There was a low buzzing murmur through the crowd until Jessica blinked in time with Chari.

"He…he won…HE WON!" She shouted after whispering. She cheered loudly, and the rest of the crowd followed suit. "He did it!" "I don't believe it!"

"I guess he did have a solid plan after all." "Seems the rumors from the University were true." All the remarks he knew he'd hear and more filled his ears, and Alex smiled at his partner, giving him scritches under his new armored chin.

"Amazing, as always, my friend. Rest now. You've earned it." He put his first Pokémon's ball away, only to find himself face to face with the girl whose eyes made his heart stop for an entire five seconds.

She was grinning ear to ear, and he couldn't help but blush. He mumbled something, scratching the back of his head, and seeming for a moment like his old self. Jess raised an eyebrow, and he became increasingly more aware of the crowd around them.

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"I couldn't have done it without you." He managed. A few catcalls came from the peanut gallery, as well as a few whistles. She blushed as well, and let her hair hide her face. Her Charmander looked up in confusion. Her cheering really had helped…so why was she suddenly so shy?

Jess looked up again, but Alex was already walking towards the car, whistling to himself. Off to, if she remembered correctly, find a Mudkip. Everything else had gone according to his plan. Why wouldn't he stick to it now?

The words "Could they BE any more obvious?" came to her ears from the dispersing crowd, but she paid no mind. Eventually only she and Eric were left. It was rapidly becoming obvious to both of them as to which brother she preferred. That, and Alex was her ride out of here.

Her own brother had always said that it was likely she'd end up with one of the Redwoods after their fathers had become so entwined in business and PokéGolf. She'd never agreed with him, but there was no more denying that Alex as a Trainer was checking her boxes. She blinked and shifted her gaze down, somewhat embarrassed. She'd always said she'd preferred Eric…but now, she was realizing that she had been more focused on his appearance, cool demeanor, and reputation, rather than who he was as a person. Something she often did when it came to men, it seemed.

She made a note to change that, with Alex at least. Even if he did become a Champion among Champions, she had to remember the person under all the fame that would no doubt follow him. In the span of two days, he was going from a complete unknown in this area to a respected Trainer. She could only imagine where he'd be in another year, at this pace.

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"I…I knew he would do it this time." Eric looked up, sighing first at his fainted Blastoise, who he had mistakenly named 'Squirt' when it was just a Squirtle. He'd gotten Squirt ages ago. He should've been able to beat a Torterra.

He looked up at Jessica. He'd never really pined for her the way he knew his brother had, but seeing her preference now only disheartened him more. "He had that look…the same look he had the day he came up with that plan of his, and chose his team…I was just a stepping stone on the way to his real goal."

The fire-haired girl blinked at the boy her age, clad in blue. "Real goal? What goal? The Victory League?" Eric looked at her, then nodded slowly. He hadn't told her yet. That part had changed, it seemed.

"Well, yea he does want to be Champion, but what Trainer doesn't? There's more than one goal on his mind. It's the reason he fights so hard." Eric stood, brushing his knees, and recalling his fallen two hundred pound turtle. "The reason he gets up in the morning. The reason he ran with his Turtwig through rain, heat, and apparently even snow. They started the day after he caught Terra, and I guess they never stopped. But there's much more than being Champion behind his drive to be a Pokémon Master. Maybe ask yourself who he's putting on the show for." Eric smirked, and patted her shoulder as he headed back into the mall, and then the Pokémon Center.

Jessica stood silently, holding her runt of a Charmander, and watched her neighbor stride away with his camouflage pattern ball holding Terra, surrounded by new admirers peppering him with questions. Had she been younger, she might've mistaken Eric's words, or denied them, but this was too obvious. With university classes having just ended, she was, she realized, probably the first person he'd talked to since returning, aside from his family. None of his cousins of Leaf smoking buddies had been here to see him acquire his Shinx and prove himself in battle. She had. It all clicked, as she did as Eric said, and asked herself why. She looked up at her neighbor again. Had he really been in love with her this whole time, Jess wondered. She would need to review everything they'd done or said. He was quiet, so she figured that meant what little he had said must've been important. She had no idea how right she was.

She put Chari back in her ball for the ride home, choosing instead to pet Leo, who certainly didn't mind it. After a potion and an elixir, he was feeling much better, and Alex decided to let him spend some time free of confinement. He knew that those stores were usually cramped, even though they did their best to accommodate the many strays and abandoned Pokémon they ended up with.

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As Leo felt the female's soft hands, he purred loudly, and rolled on his back, in her lap, offering his belly for a rub. Human standards of beauty were foreign to most Pokémon, but even a Magikarp would gladly be touched by a girl like this one. The clever cat eyed his master as he steered the strange machine that ran faster than he could. If this was the mate he was after, Leo certainly didn't mind her. She smelled wonderful.

And to emphasize that point, he purred against her lap the whole ride back, not noticing that she was fighting down a blush under the crimson locks hiding her face. Leo wasn't used to his strengthened electrical current yet, and he was tickling her with his purring in all the right places. Despite herself, Jess kept petting the Luxio, as even after evolving he was a handsome cutie. Once they got back to the Redwood's combined ranch and lab, Alex recalled his newest addition, not noticing Jess' flushed face either.

"Seems he likes you." She yelped, and nodded, hurrying out of the car into the cool night air of summer. Alex blinked once, and then shrugged. He'd understood a long time ago that trying to figure out everything women did was, at best, a hopeless battle. There were some things men just simply could not grasp. This was not one of them, but as usual, he was too distracted by her presence to pay attention to the flush in her face, or the discolored damp spot on her skirt.

"S-so," she stammered, before realizing that he hadn't noticed his Luxio's purring had caused. A thick skulled Torterra really was the perfect partner for him. "What's next? A Charmander? Mudkip?"

He stretched, yawning. "A nap. And then maybe a Mudkip tomorrow. There's a small swamp out to the west that supposedly has some. Which means mud, bugs, and tons of Wooper hitting me with Water Gun, for fun."

She giggled. "I think I'll skip that adventure then. But you'd better come show me once you catch it!"

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He shrugged, the embodiment of casual aloofness. "I wasn't planning to come back here for a while. I was going to challenge the Unova League this summer. I'll be leaving tomorrow."

She blinked. "The Unova League? As in…facing all eight gyms, and then the Elite Four?" He nodded, as if that was a perfectly normal thing that normal people did against the hardest League in the world.

Most Trainers challenged a few gyms to prove they could battle well, and then found a position in a gym with a steady paycheck, and a team with a specific type. Almost nobody went the whole way, and for good reason.

The Elite Four of Unova were notoriously strong, with varied teams, and even Legendary Dragons. Or so the rumors said. She believed them. Champions earned their titles, and Unova had five, with one of them reigning currently and the others hanging around to defend Unova. Jess shook her head, brushing her hair from her face. The flush was gone now, the cool night air had done its job.

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She rolled her Serperior-like eyes at him. "Only you would think you could run around the entire Unova region in one summer."

Alex shrugged, saying, "It's been done before. I could do it in a week, with a flying type. The capital isn't that large."

She nodded. The Trainers who'd brought down Team Plasma for good had done it in a similar period of time, and became Champions for good measure. Hilda had raced her twin through Victory Road, and Hilbert had taken his sweet time. By the time he made it through the Elite Four, she had already smashed Alder with her Emboar, and had been waiting for her brother in the old Champion's Chamber of the Victory Plateau.

Hilbert had claimed the title then, countering his sister with type advantage in a battle that Alex, Eric, Connor, and Jess had all watched live, while having a sleepover in the Gladstone's mansion. They'd only done that a few times, and instead of impressing her, Alex's juvenile self had thought thrashing Jess via video games was the smart choice. His cockiness hadn't gone over well though, and both she and Eric had retired early that night, while Alex and Connor had continued to smash each other, randomizing the characters they played, and the stage they used, well into the night. At least until their father's Arcanine had come into the massive basement, and growled a warning to go to sleep.

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Alex yawned again, remembering how tired he'd been after what had been a good six hours of intense button mashing following the intense Champion showdown. "Well…I have an early start tomorrow. Thanks for coming with me. I guess I'll see you around. Maybe at the end of summer, I can catch you before your last year at the University."

"Yea, maybe..." She couldn't tell if he was just tired, or not interested anymore. She had noticed the numbers many of the girls were giving him back in the parking lot. It was the thing to do when you met a Trainer with obvious skill.

He surreptitiously watched her, the words of both his Gruncle and his friend Nick coming back to him then. Naturally, they had given him womanly advice. Play it aloof, he thought, Play it aloof. Not too aloof. Just the right amount of aloofness.

"Or, you could come with me." He smirked as he decided to trust his instinct, and say what came naturally, as he'd done all day.

She blinked. What. "What?" she asked, but he was already strolling into his garage, ducking under the door before it fully opened, and then closing it again. She sighed, and began the walk to her house. No way was she going to let him start a journey on a note like that.

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Nameless Bog, One Day Later - Northern Unova Region

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Another Mud Slap followed the first, but it might as well have been a raindrop for all the damage it caused Terra. "Gently now…ram it with your head!" Terra rolled his eyes at his Trainer. How did one 'gently' ram something with a head like his?

He did what could, and held back, but the Mudkip still went flying, skipping across the swampy water, and whimpering once he stopped. Alex was already swimming to it, ignoring the stink and the grime. He recalled Terra at the last minute.

"Should've used Leo…" He mumbled, taking the sinking form of the fainted Mudkip into his arms. Its family watched him with muted anger in their eyes, as their heads broke the water around him. "I'm going to heal him!" He told them, hoping they understood. "I'm going to fix him up, and then I'll be back to return him. You have my word."

They let him leave the muddy waters of their swamp, and Alex sprinted towards the nearest Pokémon Center, knowing that hearing the little Mudkip wheeze was not a good sign. He fed it a Max Revive. It seemed to breathe a little easier, but stayed unconscious. Seeing him up close, Alex noticed he was much, much younger than he'd thought, but the little warrior had jumped at him, first.

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"Hang in there, little guy. The nurse will fix you right up." And once Alex arrived at the Pokémon Center, he ran straight to the desk. So focused was he on the Mudkip, he didn't see the flame-haired girl waiting for her tray of balls next to him. "Nurse! This Mudkip! He's hit a bit too hard from a Battle."

She set the tray down behind the counter, and took the young Pokémon from the man's muck-covered arms. "What did he Battle against?"

"My Torterra…" He said, somewhat guiltily. "I told him to go easy, but…I guess he's too strong now. I…I miscalculated. I'm sorry." The nurse sighed, and took the Mudkip into the back part of the center. He saw a hand out of the corner of his eye, reaching in vain for the tray of Pokéballs.

"I've got it…" he mumbled, grabbing the tray with his long arms, and sliding it to whoever was just out of his vision. He was laser-focused on the doorway. Did it usually take this long?

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"You always had a longer reach than me…but given that you're covered in swamp, I could've gotten it myself…"

Alex blinked, just realizing how nasty he was. Jumping in a swamp wasn't very hygienic, and his stupidly large feet had left a trail through the Center. He knew that voice though, and could pick it out of a crowd with ease. He turned, and immediately felt his face heat up. "Jess! I-I... I didn't know you were out here. Today." He took a deep breath as he tried to remain calm instead of nervous, and summon some of that aloofness he'd had the night before. Hurting the Mudkip had unbalanced him, and he was out of breath from sprinting to the Center. He hadn't expected that seeing her would unnerve him this much.

"Well…" She twirled a lock of hair, and batted her eyes at him obviously. She found the whole situation a little amusing. The Mudkip was essentially a baby, but of course Alex would still try to catch it. Another influence from her brother, who had the same idea. Pokémon raised from near-infancy ended up stronger. "After you invited me yesterday, I had to follow you…" She paused, her own face turning crimson. "In a totally friendly, not stalker-ish kind of way. I'd like to see Unova. With you. If you'll have me." She grabbed the tray with her balls as she spoke, and avoided the large swampy hand print.

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There was a third ball with the others now, and she busied herself with putting them back on her belt, her long shoulder-length hair hiding her face.

"I could think of worse traveling companions…" He blinked, as he didn't quite believe what was happening. She stared at him for a long moment, and he stared back. If he was going to say it, he was going to stand by it. Couldn't backtrack now, even if he wanted to. The doors to the back of the center opened again with a familiar ding.

"Your Mudkip is resting. The bones are set and healing. He should be ready by tomorrow morning. Will you be staying the night?" Alex nodded, attention once again drawn to Pokémon and not Jess.

She couldn't really blame him though; the worry was evident on his face still. It made her wonder if his Torterra was seriously that strong. Most Pokémon who were made to faint in the wild were usually caught, but that Mudkip had been seriously hurt…and hadn't he said Terra was going easy?

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"Very well." The nurse said, pretending to be unaware of the obvious attraction between these two. They seemed shy, despite their age, which made some sense. Most of the novice Trainers around here were big on the knowledge one gained from years of study from Unova University, but had far less experience in real life situations on the road.

"Since you two are...friends, then? I can have you share a room. Is that alright?" she continued. They both nodded absentmindedly, before they realized what they'd just agreed to.

"I-I mean, uh, that is, if you want to share…" Alex mumbled quickly.

Jess smirked at him. "It's fine…just like when we were younger, and we stayed in the barn with the Tauros and our brothers."

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He smirked, and nodded at her. "I remember. Sleeping on hay, smoking on top of the barn. Good times." He found he liked being able to hold her gaze this long.

"There will be no smoking in our lodgings, understand? Keep it outside. Please." She sighed. While most Leafheads weren't too bad, things could get…rowdy with them around. "We're almost booked up for rooms. Lots of Trainers around here." That piqued both of their interest.

"Trainers? Any looking to Battle?" Alex asked, as his tone failed to hide his eagerness.

The nurse nodded. "Just a tournament for newer Trainers. Nothing a team like yours could fairly compete in." She said, focusing on Alex. Her eyes shifted to Jess then. "Hers could. But there are other Trainers around closer to your skill levels."

As the last stop between the north-eastern region of the country and Unova, this Pokémon Center was indeed a hot spot for new Trainers who were heading south, to Unova, or coming north from there, usually in search of Pokémon, or the University campus.

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Trainers from Unova were usually in their early teens, but the mixing of older and younger people often led to book smarts being exchanged for knowledge of the road. Most Trainers from their home didn't know what kind of Pokémon were around here, but the younger Trainers often did, as their youthful energy gave them the drive to constantly scour the woods, lakes, and grass for every type they could catch. Alex's thoughts were on the local Trainer's Pokémon, and on Terra, and his power. Probably better to use Leo.

"So how about it, Pokémon 'Master'?" He looked up, to see Jess put on a fiery red Unova style hat, and turn it backwards with a smirk. "How about we have some Double Battles?" He blinked once, twice, a third time, then nodded.

"Terra is a bit strong for this crowd…but Leo could use the exercise." She nodded as well.

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"I'll be using all of mine. Including my new Piplup." He raised a brow at her departure from fire types. "What?" she said innocently. "I like Piplups. They have happy little feet."

He smirked, and turned his own hat backwards. "Alright. Luxio and Piplup. What a team. Let's do it." It wasn't long before they found opponents, but they were novice bug catchers and Alex left Jess to challenge them.

Alex took the chance to clean himself of swamp grime in the Pokémon Center's bathroom as the newbies gathered around to watch the forming double battle. Bug lovers, couples, grass Trainers, and even a small troupe of bikers ended up offering to be their opponents. Leo's intimidating glare had kept the bolder male influences in the crowd away from the perfect ten redhead, while he'd scrubbed the muck off his clothes. He was doing as Alex asked, and listening to her well, and for her part, Jess was using him in combination with her Piplup and Serpi to great effect.

Once he was clean, Alex came up beside the redhead and her Piplup as they finished thrashing the bug catcher and taking his money. He gave Leo a thorough chin scratch that set him purring. Once Alex stopped, the cat stretched, then looked at his Trainer.

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"I'm sorry I ignored you most of today, my new friend…but Terra was on a roll." "Luxio!" Was the response. "I think I can make it up to you, though. How would you like to Battle alongside Jess some more?" The Luxio grinned, and sparks flared over his gold and black fur. "Perfect. We'll train you up, and we can also help Piplup grow too, alright?" Leo glanced at Jess and her partner for a long time, examining them with those smart, intense golden eyes. He finally nodded, and she released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. There was something about big cats that set her instincts on edge, when they looked at her like that.

"I thought for sure he'd refuse…he's a bit of a loner, you can see it in his gaze…you know, his eyes are as intense as yours lately..." Jess spoke quietly. Ignoring her for once, Alex instead petted his friend's golden fur, smirking at the soft buzz of electricity that went through his hand as he did. He didn't mind it anymore.

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"Together, we will be unbeatable." Jess couldn't tell if he was talking to her, or his Luxio. Or both. He cared for Pokémon, all Pokémon, it seemed, almost as much as he supposedly cared for her, according to his brother. Now that she looked, the signs were a bit obvious. Yet somehow also endearing.

She had recalled the times he had saved her bacon in the past, from a rampaging Tauros charging at a Miltank it wanted to breed, to saving her from a pair of malicious Poliwags. One of which his brother had captured. "Do you still have that scar on your arm? From Wrath's Peck attack?"

Alex blinked at the seemingly random change of topic, but smiled at her anyways. "Umm. Yes. It's a scar. Those don't heal, you know."

She shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."

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"I never thanked you, did I?" She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. She blinked at it in surprise as she felt a very noticeable buzz.

It was probably just Luxio's current of low energy running through him to her now, but just touching his shoulder seemed to set her entire body abuzz, much as she had been on their car ride home. Her thoughts turned lewd, and her gaze grew distant. Something about Leo's electricity just felt…really nice. Or maybe it was his Trainer. It was probably both.

"You did, actually." He said, smirking. "But I appreciate the sentiment all the same." She blinked, trying to clear her head as he spoke. This was not the same boy she'd slept next to as a ten-year-old. He was grown now…and so was she. How would they ever share a room?

"Our next opponents are coming…" She said, half distracted.

He nodded, glancing up into her eyes, and seeing the same low, golden glowing spark of electricity there as well. In an unexpected show of boldness, he took her hand, and then stopped petting Leo. The low hum of his electricity flowed between them still, back and forth. They were connected. She smiled at him, and didn't pull away. He reconsidered a thought from the previous day. This was rapidly becoming the luckiest day of his life. Though he was more of a rational-minded man, he offered a small prayer to Arceus that his luck didn't end any time soon.

The Luxio and Piplup strode onto the battlefield, one of many around the Pokémon Center that was little more than a few lines in the grass and dirt. Personality wise, they appeared similar, despite the difference in gender and species. Both proud, both loners, but both respectful of the other's strength once they won the first round with a pair of one-hit KOs on a Roggenrola that wasn't very sturdy and a rather surly Hoppip. The team of electricity and water was able to cover for their partner's weaknesses.

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Hands still clasped together, the two Trainers battled together flawlessly against every pair they managed to find around the Pokémon Center, which wasn't all that hard of a feat. Most of their opponents were younger Trainers, and as they won more battles, the pair of Pokémon who had both been given Lucky Eggs by Jess, only grew stronger. When she told him she had a bunch more, Alex felt a bit nauseous. Sometimes he forgot how absurdly wealthy she was. Seeing they were on a streak, those who'd lost the local newbie tournament also tried pairing up to battle them, and other pairs around the building. The battling lasted long into the day outside of the Pokémon Center, before Alex and Jess retired to their shared room.

At his advising, Jess had used the Experience Share harness in her bag, which she hadn't known the function of, to give her Piplup, Empolia, power as she watched Serpi battle, once the little penguin had run out of energy. Having evolved her the night before with a pair of Rare Candies, Serpi was now a magnificent, if a bit small, Serperior. She might have been freshly raised, but that changed with each battle, and Alex noted a Lucky Egg in her ferns as well as one on Chari when she later came out to gain some battle experience against a pair of bug catchers. He'd eventually asked Jess how many she had in total, and that answer, had been twelve. Alex had just stared at her, and laughing, she'd offered him six, and then asked if they were rare. He'd asked to see what else she'd brought then, and found tons of cash, more healing items than he had, in numbers approaching a thousand, and various items her father and mother had given her for her partners to boost their elemental moves. A Miracle Seed for Serpi, a pendant of Mystic Water from the spirit oasis in the Koria Region for Empolia.

Between battles, she told him her parents had gotten them for her once she'd come home late that night with a new Piplup, and declared she'd be traveling around Unova through the summer. Alex had no doubt Connor had also gotten a sendoff package. Not for the first time, he wished his own parents were as cool as hers. Mrs. Gladstone had always been nice to him, except when he was being overly loud, or a brat, and Mr. Gladstone was also good people, though much harder to read. He always seemed to look through him whenever they'd interacted, but Alex could tell he was cool from his demeanor, and how his kids glowingly referred to him with admiration and respect. By contrast, he couldn't recall one of his cousins having a good word to say about his own father.

Everything from Charcoal to an Expert Belt was in Jess's bag, and Alex stared with envy. She offered him his choice of items, but he resisted. They were gifts for her, and therefor hers. His team would be holding the Lucky Eggs for a while anyways, as they trained to reach the heights Terra already had.

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Alex had retrieved the Mudkip as well, finding the little mudfish had healed perfectly thanks to the nurse. The fractures had been serious enough to need a Mega Blissey's Heal Pulse, but seeing as how Alex already felt bad about overestimating his Torterra, the nurse kept that to herself, as she led the pair to the small cabin they'd be sharing for the night. Being a remote Pokémon Center, there was only so much space in the main building, with all the storage space they needed for treatments and recovery rooms. That meant Trainer housing, which was free to those with a Trainer Card, was scattered around the building in the woods, where Trainers had their privacy, and a small cooking area outside the cabins.

Alex and Chari worked on roasting their dinner, hand-made Redwood Ranch hotdogs, while Jess showered. Alex worked with her on controlling a small but constant flame, and the little runt of a fire lizard squee'd with joy when they came out as a fine golden brown, by which point her Trainer had rejoined them. Terra, Leo, Serpi, and Empolia all had a bite, and seemed to compliment Chari's cooking. Seeing the Charmander's reaction, Alex wondered if it was something she secretly wanted to master. She seemed to enjoy it, when what she cooked wasn't turned to charcoal.

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As the Jess celebrated her flame control by giving Chari all the twirling hugs and scritches, evidently, the smell of the meat and the cries of a female member of the species was enough to attract a second first stage fire lizard to their cabin's site. Alex, and Jess, as well as their Pokémon raised their heads as they heard something making its way through the heavily forested area around the clearing that housed their cabin.

As Alex glimpsed a familiar red orange, and a similarly colored tail sporting a small flame, he tried to keep his excitement in check, but his rapidly tapping right toes gave him away as they shifted in his stupidly large shoes. Charmander were more common to the south-west of their current spot, near Draconis Mons. Finding one here was unlikely, and it probably had a Trainer. Still…it was a chance, and he'd been absurdly lucky lately. He'd noticed his unusual streak of luck so far, and hoped that, right now, it wouldn't end. He'd dreamed of finding a Charmander. Literally. Two of the strongest Champions he knew of had a Charizard, and like every other kid who'd watched Leon and then later Ash Ketchum win battle after battle, for years, he'd dreamed of one day testing his own against them.

While it was true that the little Charmander male that now watched them had indeed had a Trainer, he had lost to the power of Alex's Luxio, and its partner, the female runt of a Charmander.

His latest Trainer had abandoned him after losing, deciding to give up on training entirely, so now this Charmander once more sought a new Trainer, on his own initiative after breaking his Pokéball with the move he'd inherited from his sire: Dragon Tail. It was not the first time he'd done such a thing, either.

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He sought a Trainer who would light him with the fire he'd seen in that Luxio. The power of the evolutionary spiral. The power that catapulted their species' evolution forward, constantly. He needed a Trainer who would make him as strong as possible. He needed to find a human whose fire would not dim so easily, as all the others had. And the fact that this one apparently knew a cute but deceptively strong female Charmander put these humans at the top of the potential replacement list.

As he looked over the two humans, the larger male one caught his eye. The Luxio beside the male grinned, and bristled with electricity, as he had when they'd fought. Like an Electrike, the thunder cat had charged his muscles to compensate for his comparatively slower speed. His Trainer had a similar look, and was approaching the Charmander slowly, a red Pokéball in hand.

As the Charmander fearlessly met the human's gaze, he saw the fire in his eyes, and felt his little heart beat faster. Then, he knew. This was his Trainer. This was a Trainer who fought with everything he had. He'd had a bad run of luck in choosing a worthy human, but he had a good feeling about this one.

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The Charmander wandered over fearlessly, expertly navigating his tail through the remaining brush without starting a blaze. "That is what you are…" Alex said softly, watching, and then looking around for someone who would claim such a rare Pokémon. "A Blaze. And a Blaze you shall be."

Jess chuckled behind him. "More like you'll use him to 'blaze' up."

Alex winked at her, as she wasn't wrong, and then offered the crimson, fiery red Pokéball in his hand to the Charmander, who eyed him for a long time. "Charmander, Char?"

"Yes. I'll make you into one of the strongest Charizard in the world. There are many claimants to that title though, and the road will be long and difficult. Are you sure you want to join us?" As he spoke, Terra stomped up beside them, and his rumbling cry shook their immediate area. Naturally, the Charmander had faced a few Turtwig in his time, but seeing a Torterra was a new experience, and the power of the part ground type made the tiny fire lizard retreat a step on instinct. Still, he knew something was off. This Torterra towered over the tiny fire lizard like his first Trainer's Rayquaza had. His presence wasn't quite as intense as the crimson scaled Legendary dragon had been, not yet anyway, but he was much further along than the Luxio or the Mudkip. The fire lizard nodded. This was the Trainer's first Pokémon, then.

Blaze glanced at the two large Pokémon, especially at Terra, who was almost as tall as the nearby shack, counting his tree. This Trainer could back up his promise. He was sold. He entered the ball willingly as he booped it with his snoot. Alex stared at the ball as it dinged shut, still somewhat dazed as his Pokédex began reciting the entry he knew by heart automatically. Years of misfortune and toiling in Tauros dung seemed to be paying off now, because he had never been this lucky his entire life. Alex bit his thumb, hard, and Jess gave him a look.

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"Just making sure this is real…" He muttered, thumbing the release on his newly filled ball. Once released again, Blaze, his new Trainer, and his Trainer's allies, all enjoyed their feast of classic Unovan style hotdogs, well into the morning. Meat was cooked, hallucinogenic Leaf was shared, and as the effects kicked in, the two humans kept eyeing each other. Eye contact was a new thing from her awkward neighbor, but Jess didn't seem to be minding the company.

Tired and blazed as they were, the usual awkwardness that tinged their conversations had evaporated, and once more the cautiously optimistic 'rookie' Trainer let instinct take over. Mutual leaning on each other led to hesitant kissing, and before long, the two humans had begun kissing like a Kalos couple within the privacy of the cabin, until they'd fallen asleep. After his offer to 'truly demonstrate his skills', and her smirking acceptance of it, they had eventually collapsed on the rug before the unlit hearth within their cabin, her in orgasmic bliss, him, still with his head resting on her thighs. It was in that early morning time that Alex roused himself, and carried his 'lover' to bed, then cleaned up their mess.

He recalled the Pokémon, who had long since fallen asleep, and put them to rest in their balls. He grabbed their clothes, and hung those within the cabin as well. Then, he returned to the room he'd put Jess in. She reached for him as he rejoined her, their session earlier had certainly changed their dynamic. Or at least, that's what she thought. Alex felt his cheeks heat up again, but it was impossible to tell in the darkness of the room. They'd drawn the curtains against the glare of the rising sun.

"Did…you, umm, enjoy that earlier?" There was a giggle, and he felt her lips on his again as she pushed him onto his back, and began straddling him in the dim light of the morning. Normally her smaller frame would have trouble moving his, but he let this happen and rolled with her.

"Yes…" She whispered, as she pressed into him. "I'll pay you back for that, Redwood." She yawned, and then put her head on his chest. "But notrightnow…" she mumbled tiredly. His arms wrapped around her, and they stayed like that until they both woke up.

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When they finally rose, it was at the same time, and since she'd showered the night before, Alex went first, as he very much needed one. Then, they had their breakfast, and over time, with more talking, the awkwardness of their blossoming romance gradually faded. They decided on their next destination; Bostonia, where Alex intended to finally cash in on the many Heart Scales he'd collected in Alola, when his family vacationed there every other year. They were fairly common on the beach, but in Bostonia, there were Tutors who could teach his partners useful moves, or help them remember useful moves. For just one Heart Scale. Jess revealed a similar, and larger, pile of her own from her own family vacations, and seemed just as eager to get there. First though, they agreed they needed to train their Charmanders.

The first route towards the eastern coast saw many grass Trainers lock their eyes with the pair, and they'd taken to walking on opposing sides of the route, where possible. Their winning streaks continued, though not without the need for potions, elixirs, and several Max Revives in between matches. Chari evolved early in the morning, and continued to grow as she kept winning with her newer, stronger form. Jess eventually let her cool down, and brought out her Piplup instead. Being a quick girl, and having inherited Ice Beam from her mom, she also made short work of grass types.

For Alex's part, he was all about his Charmander, though Leo got some exercise too, namely against water and flying types of which there were many, both wild and in Trainer battles. As with the day before, these Trainers tended to be young, but everyone grew from the battles, and Alex parted amicably with each of his opponents. It was Jess who had an issue with one of hers.

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He was a biker of some gang Alex didn't recognize. Chari had Flamethrowered his Breloom into an OHKO, not unexpected from a fire type against a grass type, but the angry bald man had lost his cool, and then, loudly, roared down the route towards Bostonia in the distance on his motorbike.

Jess raised a middle finger towards him as he left her and Chari coughing, and the Charmeleon snarled with more rage than Alex expected from her. He'd provided the Flamethrower TM, as that one had come from his Gruncle, who'd known he'd need it for his Charizard eventually. Blaze turned out to be a modest little fire lizard, with a bit of a vain streak after winning so consistently. It was a nice change, having a Trainer who understood how types worked.

Around twenty minutes past four in the afternoon, after a timely toke on the bong from both aspiring Leafheads, Alex brought the Mudkip back to the swamp from the day before, as they were close to it. Jess had continued on towards Bostonia alone, and he'd intended to catch up to her after his detour.

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Once at the edge of the swamp, Alex gave the tiny Mudkip a choice. "You can either go home to your family and live your days there, my little friend…or you can come with me, and become more powerful than any of them." The little blue Pokémon tilted its head at him. "Mud…kip?"

Alex chuckled. "Yes, even stronger than Terra, once you learn a few Moves." The tiny Mudkip, then named Hydrus, said his goodbyes to his seemingly grateful kin who were glad to know he was alive and willing to let him live with a genuinely kind human. Hydrus rejoined his Trainer inside his ball as they left the swamp. Alex eyed the four balls on his belt now, grinning. "Two to go…" He said quietly.

He continued his training then, now actually using Hydrus. The Mudkip proved adept with his Ice Beam, though Alex only brought him out, for now, when he was sure the little mud fish could win. It helped that being bashed by Terra had made him determined to get stronger. As they continued, they didn't run into Jess.

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Alex began to worry when she didn't pick up her Holociever, and when they spied it off to the side of the route, dirty and on the ground but thankfully still intact thanks to the durable case, he knew something was wrong. He stopped idling then, and ignored eye contact with people as he sprinted towards Bostonia. Years of being a loner finally had some use, as he made good time down three separate routes, with the aid of a Max Repel, and finally arrived at Bostonia, wheezing hard, but hopefully in time. He rested his partners at the Pokémon Center, one of many across the large harbor city, and then made his way to the Police Department.

He found one of the off duty officers, and after a friendly but quick battle, asked him which group of thugs in the city had Giratina's head on their jackets. The biker who'd lost hard to Jess had worn one, and Alex figured they'd be the most logical culprits. As far as he was aware, Jess hadn't pissed off anyone else. The officer told him to stay away from them, and refused to mention where they polluted the air with their presence, so instead, Alex found a more central Pokémon Center, and asked the Leafheads there where one might find them. From them, he got a far better answer, though it took way too long for his liking.

Eventually, after about three hours apart from her, he found the nest of bikers, inhabiting an old Bostonian canal that, in summer, was dry and empty. They were circling something, loudly, under one of the bridges, and Alex' eye twitched as he saw a very pissed off Jess coiled protectively by Serpi, who refused to attack the bikers. Chari was in her arms, already hurt, and he assumed Empolia was still in her ball. She was too fresh for this many opponents at once.

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Alex raised Terra's ball, and gave it a shake as he enlarged it. "Wake up, bud. We have trash to take out." He felt the ball shake in response, and nodded. Bikers tended to favor poison types, and while he wasn't personally a fan of inhaling petroleum gas, garbing himself in black leather, and riding around being a general obnoxious nuisance to polite society, he opted to give the bikers a chance to demonstrate that they weren't complete trash. He didn't have high hopes given their excessive tattoos, body piercings, and attitude, but appearances could deceive.

He threw Terra into the middle of the bikers, and several swerved away, before coming back to a stop in a circle around the massive earth tortoise. Alex ran up next to him as they'd parted, and now faced them down, fixing them with a look he only reserved for those who'd pissed him off. "That's enough. You've had your fun. Now leave. Her. Alone." The primarily rotund, pale skinned, and bald men chuckled at his words, and as they did, Alex glanced at Jess. "Did they hurt you?"

She shook her head. "Serpi came out once we stopped…the one from earlier grabbed me right off the Mukking road…" She seemed more irritated than traumatized, which Alex was glad for. It meant she'd be able to help, if they overwhelmed him.

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One of the bikers, the leader, Alex guessed, walked forward on his bike, and sneered at them. "An' who the hell're you s'posed t'be, mate? Her whoite knoight?" Alex cringed at the mix of Galarian and Bostonian accents, before fixing the man with a glare.

"I'm the one whose responsible for her safety while she travels with me." Alex said, looking around the circle of bikers. "Now which one of you is the piece of trash that decided kidnapping a woman off the street in broad daylight was a good idea?"

"Oho! Somewunz angry. Come now, mate. We're jus' havin' a bit o' fun with'er." The lead wasteproduct said, with a grin.

"Yea." Another one said, sliding forward on his own vehicle. "I didn't take'er fah. She was rude. I figgered she could do with a bit of rough play…and once she learned'er manners, I wuz gonna bring'er right back."

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"Oh, you're about to learn some manners, Mukstain." Alex growled. "Terra. Mud Shot." He pointed at the biker responsible for the crime, and called the special attack. Terra didn't condense it as much as he would for battle, just enough to bruise the human, and blast him off his bike, which he did. The other bikers made noises like 'Oi!' or 'Hey!' as he gave the order, but he'd stopped caring. "Now Stomp!" Terra took a few thunderous steps towards the fallen biker, glared at those around him, daring them to attack, and then crushed the machine with a single foot. It exploded with a minor blast, but the earth tortoise covered it up, and absorbed the hit without so much as flinching.

Alex glared at the group, as they each reached for their own magical monsters. "I have no issue with you. Just the imbecile who committed a crime. Let us go, and I won't crush your bikes too."

About twenty lights from Pokéballs flared then, as a host of poison, dark, fighting, and water types surrounded the pair further. Their leader spoke again. "Nah, mate. Afta' that display, yer gonna' pay too."

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"Dragonite! Use Dragon Rush!" "Dratini, Dragonbreath!" "You too, Glaedr! Dragonbreath!"

Alex blinked, as he and Terra watched a rotund orange comet sail past their faces, bowling over the bikers in front of them with speed that only a truly powerful Pokémon had. He watched as the Dragonite arced its Dragon Rush, and blue flames from the pair of Dragonbreaths made a circle on the concrete, keeping anyone from running. Not that the bikers or their partners were in a state to run after being smashed by a dragon type move that strong. Most of their partners had fainted with a single hit.

Then, their timely savior's Trainers appeared or rather, their Tamers. Alex recognized Lance, the long retired former World Champion, and legendary Champion of the Indigo Plateau. Beside the ancient white haired Dragon Tamer were a pair of what seemed to be novices, with blue hair. The woman had the Dratini, and the boy had a Fraxure, who he'd apparently given a nickname. It was uniquely colored too, and had a shine to it.

"I am Lance, of the Pokémon G-Men." The old man said from the incline of the canal, his glaring, grizzled features taking in the group of bikers. "Under the deputization of the Bostonia PD, I am placing every member of the Gira Grinders at this scene under lawful arrest. Surrender, and come in peacefully."

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The majority of the bikers had been tossed from their rides by the Dragonite's attack. Many of their bikes were now damaged, or seriously scratched or burned by dragonfire. The bike gang's leader glared at Lance. "Arrest!? Whose gonna' arrest you fer destroyin' our bikes!?"

Lance walked down the concrete incline leading into the canal carefully, leaning on a thin black cane as he did. His spine was bent with age, but the ferocity in his eyes hadn't lessened at all. From the opposing side of the Dragonbreath flame wall, he glared at the man. "Your gang is responsible for a kidnapping. Did you think no one would report you? Be glad you have your lives. You can always buy new bikes."

"You mean you can pay fer our bloody bikes!" One of the other bikers shouted. Lance's glare intensified, and his Dragonite flew to him, hovering above him as he stared the gang down.

"I'm not paying you people anything. Criminals don't get to make demands. Now put your Pokémon away. Last warning."

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Blue and red flashing lights appeared from the bridge over the canal, and the biker grimaced at Lance. He knew it was over, as his minions did as they were told. He recalled his Nidoking, and the other bikers followed suit. The one who'd been hit with Mud Shot tried running as he saw that, but the Dratini tripped up his legs, and then Wrapped him.

Lance approached Alex then, and gave him and Jess a nod. "Are you two alright?"

Jess answered first, having healed and recalled all but Serpi now. "Yes, sir. Thank you. We're glad you arrived when you did."

Lance just shrugged. "I owed your dad a favor…happened to be in the city…and I despise scum like this. Taking people off the street in broad daylight…" The old man mumbled something about crazy Unovans, and then fixed his gaze on Alex. "You did well, having your partner hold back, kid. If we hadn't shown up, that Torterra of yours could have probably taken most of them."

Alex chuckled, and scratched the back of his neck. "Maybe one on one…but not all at once. Thank you. Sir."

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Lance nodded, and then hobbled away. To his assistants, he said "Process them." Before he began the steep and slow climb to the police atop the bridge, his Dragonite still by his side.

The girl took Jess's statement, and the boy took Alex's. Once that was done, the two began chatting, as Alex brought out Leo, and he and the Fraxure, Glaedr, stared each other down. Alex learned the lad's name was also Lance, and that he was a relative of the Dragon Master himself. He asked to see Alex's Trainer Card, and seemed to frown, but handed it back promptly.

They continued chatting, and Alex learned he also had a Bagon which he'd caught around Draconis Mons, to the west. The boys exchanged numbers, agreeing to battle someday, while Jess and her assigned processor were far more professional. Alex took her for dinner then, and over time, she gradually became her cheery self again. Serpi had taken the brunt of the bikers, and while shaken, he could tell Jess was proud of her Pokémon. He recalled how he'd felt when Terra had jumped in against the Tyranitar they'd ended up training with, saving his life from a very angry Hyper Beam. Seeing how much Pokémon cared for them often changed and deepened their dynamic. He knew Jess and Serpi would be stronger for it.

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When they returned to the closest Pokémon Center, Jess already had a call waiting from her father, which she took privately, on the nurse's own line. If Nurse Joy found that odd, she didn't show it, as she took both their teams for a well earned rest. Alex kept Leo with him, as he'd remained fresh, and he wanted the Luxio's sharp senses guarding them as they slept cuddled up together. He no longer trusted the city.

The next day, they hit the local Battle Stadium before heading west towards central Unova, for more training. Hydrus lost several battles in a row, and while Alex kept him healthy, he seemed to feel bad for breaking his Trainer's streak. Alex didn't care though, as long as Hydrus had enjoyed the contest of strength. It took some explaining, but eventually the little mudfish understood that battles weren't about winning or losing, but competing honestly, and having fun while he did it. He was smiling again after that, and it was his turn with the Exp. Share once Jess's Empolia became a Prinplup. Unlike Hydrus, she kept her Trainer's win streak going, and evolved as a result.

Then, it was Blaze's turn.

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The Charmander was in rare form as he dodged, sprang into the air for aerial Flamethrowers with the aid of his Dragon Tail, and in a few short battles, all of which he won as Hydrus watched on, the little fire lizard roared in victory.

"Chaaaaaaar!" The Charmander shone brightly with the power of the evolutionary spiral, and began shifting his form to the next stage of his growth as Infinity Energy surrounded him in a double helix pattern. He doubled in size, and gained muscle, and power, trading it for the speed his child form had had. "Meeeleon!"

The new Charmeleon stomped the ground, and snorted flames. He was feeling the high his new master felt, the drive to 'be the very best' as he'd called it. Blaze saw his Trainer eyeing him for signs of uncontrollable rage, and the Charmeleon gave him a clawed thumb, pointed upwards, the signal they'd agreed on for determining if he could go on battling once he evolved.

When asked if he wanted more, the Charmeleon's tail flame shifted to blue, and his roar echoed through the stadium. They battled there for half of the day after that, Jess with Empolia and Alex with Blaze. As before, they teamed up for several double battles, but resisted holding hands this time. Once they had lunch, it was back on the road they went, and Alex was glad Jess had seemingly returned to her usual self, the one that despised walking anywhere.

He'd tried telling her heels weren't suitable Trainer shoes, especially away from the city, but she had stubbornly insisted on 'looking good while battling'. He'd told her she already did, and would even if she went shoeless, but she'd persisted anyway.

It was a boring pair of days they spent heading west and training as they did. Hydrus gained more wins, and more experience, finally growing larger as he won. He hadn't been a runt, just a late bloomer when it came to size, and it wasn't long before he got his own Lucky Egg as well.

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"Look…there's our first Gym stop." Alex said two days later, as they trekked up a large hill, and then spied Undella Harbor and the eastern coast of central Unova below them.

He pointed, and she checked her map. "Humilau City? You want to take on Marlon first? That Gym is usually the last one people challenge! Marlon would turn you into chum."

Alex smirked as they began walking again. "It'll be nothing, for Terra. It's exactly his level, and Leo might even evolve if he can win against Marlon's underlings. I'll get the eighth badge first, and then the other Leaders won't treat me like some novice. Besides, our goal is Driftveil City. Humilau is on the way."

She blinked, and chased after him on the downward sloping path. "Eww, Driftveil? Really? I thought nobody in Unova willingly crossed the river to…that part of the region. Isn't their shore full of violent surfers?"

Alex chuckled. "You're thinking of the coast further south. The north shore isn't nearly as bad."

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The Driftveil Shore was notorious for having obnoxious surfers riding the waves of the river. That in itself wasn't a bad thing, it was the culture of tanning their skin to the point of being orange, and the culture of fighting, with fists not Pokémon, that gave the shore such a bad rep with Castelianites and Unova at large.

"Move tutors. Move deleters. TM sellers. And of course…the old World Tournament building. Basically, everything we need in order to get our teams the last few Moves they need." He met her gaze evenly, listing the many reasons they needed to visit the city on one hand.

She pouted again. "But I like my team's Moves."

Alex shrugged. "I have two more Pokémon to catch, and Draconis Mons' base is on the way, too. Just north of Humilau. East of the Victory Plateau. We're technically already in its range, but we'll need to go farther to find a Bagon."

His companion rolled her eyes, the strain of hiking so far and so long was showing on their sweaty brows, and after days of travel her precious heels were wearing out, but their conversation had carried them far and distracted them from the time it was taking to get somewhere civilized. "What is it with you and Bagon, anyways? Why not Dratini, or Deino? There are plenty of Deino here."

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He nodded. "True, but Hydreigon is a real pain to train, most Dragon Types are, but especially that one. Besides, plenty of Trainers have a Dragonite already. No, I finally decided a while back that a Salamence would be the perfect secret weapon if Terra ever failed. And, their flight speed is unmatched. If I want to get around the world quickly, a Salamence will do it the fastest. They love flying, and they're aerodynamically built for it."

She shrugged. "I just think something more your style would be better. Like a Goomy."

"Hey!" She was already running ahead, laughing. He rolled his eyes, and kept walking. He didn't chase. Not on long journeys that required stamina, anyways. Let her run, he thought, she'd be exhausted later.