Interviewers Gabby and Ty, who covered Champion Rikuya's epic rise in the Hoenn region, famously by losing to him thousands of times on multiple routes, were seated behind a well-used desk covered with paper and Pokéclutter. Gabby smiled at the camera as she spoke in her cheap, fake happy tone. "It's Radio PokéJaaaaam! We provide you with the latest insights from all of the major Battles going on daily! Stay tuned for more news from the four latest qualifying tournaments of Galar Chairman Leon's Tournament of Champions, as well as the latest juicy news from across our PokéSociety! Which Champions are going to be our candidates for the new Galar Challenge? Does Italia's Champion have dark ties to Team Rocket and the Rossi Familia? Is it true that Professor Gary Oak has a secret love child in Indius, who has now become Champion? Is Polska Champion Mikolaj an Imperium spy? All of that, and more, after our Early Morning Tunes! Your favorite music straight from the recordings of old Earth society, aaaaand the best hits from today!"
The song 'Lycanrocs of Wyndon' started playing and was followed by a truly tasteful series of classics that lasted through into the night with minimal commercial interruptions. Eye of the Incineroar. Smells Like Teen Spiritomb. Enter Sandslash. Poké Face. Boulevard of Broken Dream Eaters. And in the early hours, the newest platinum hit in Galar, Rick Astley's own Never Gonna Give You Up, and Release You.
Finally, Gabby had to end the mish mash of classic and contemporary ear worms.
----------------------------------------
"Aaaaaand it's eight AM folks, at least in Galar. Ty and I have arrived from the Hoenn Region, and will take over your daily broadcast for the latest PokéChallenge News. And hooooo boy do we have news for you guys! Isn't that right Ty?"
Ty let out a massive yawn before speaking. "Y-yeah, I guess, Gabby. Man, it's been a long night with the Finale from Block B and all. I'm on my eleventh Pokécoffee and I definitely need a shower at some point. Man, but Galar is beautiful, that much I gotta say, even if it has only been two days. But a lot has happened yesterday and earlier tonight. I bet our audience is as tired as I am… let's recap, Gabby. Wanna tell them what happened?"
"Right! The tournament in the Polska and Germania Regions is currently reaching its end, with Block A's Winner, Champion Mikolaj Nowak from the Polska Region winning the finale yesterday. And …last…night? -time zones are horrible, folks- Isabella Fondacaro from the Italia Region secured her win for the B Block in Paldea after a narrow victory over Champion Juliana. This means, two of our four candidates are now qualified for Chairman Leon's latest challenge, and on their way to the Galar Region. Today, Block C will finish in the central Kingdom of Eous as it crowns the Strongest Trainer in the East, and Block D's Trainers from Romani, Italia, and Kalos are going to be the last one tomorrow morning. Say, Ty, do we have favorites already?"
----------------------------------------
"Block D has one Trainer who has surprised me time after time with their brilliant strategies. But I won't tell you who I placed my bets on, heheh. Block C, it should be noted, had more competitors than any other tournament. Their winner will be the strongest out of hundreds of thousands. Man…that is a seriously large tournament bracket to climb through."
"Yes. Yes, it is. Anyway, tune in tomorrow for more news, especially on the winners of the last two Blocks. For now, we got a few song suggestions from our callers. Enjoy listening, and stay online for more juicy stuff, right after this commercial break!"
Radio PokéJaaaam!
----------------------------------------
Several Hours Later…
----------------------------------------
"It's Radio PokéJam, comin' at you live after a day of cataclysmic action! I'm Ty, here with Gabby for the daily recap, before we send you all off into the cradle of the night with some sweet, soulful PokéJams from none other than one of Galar's meteoric rising singers, Rick Astley! It is a little strange how popular his song has become in such a short time."
"That's right, Ty. Mr. Astley is no stranger to love, and our competitors today were no strangers to Pokémon Battling! Once the Junior Tournament, started abruptly by Galar's Champion Leon, finished at noon and the little ten-year-olds got their trophies, the real fun finally started with a live stream of Indius's own Sikandar Jiyoshi smashing the final hurdle to his entrance into this competition with his golden Mega Arbok, Rajabera. Rajababa." Gabby's brow furrowed.
"Raajabara." Ty said, with a smirk. "That's right folks, Leon wanted the final match of Block C to be in Galar, so the competitors flew all the way from Eous, to be able to start the next leg of this challenge at the same time as the other victors. Wyndon Stadium was treated to a sound thrashing by the poisonous Dragon Typed Mega Form that his opponent simply was not prepared for. The general consensus is that he used his Z Move too late, and the mighty cobra was able to sweep the team because of it."
----------------------------------------
"Ever since we got to watch Sikandar's Infernape go wild on Galar's own Fighting Type Specialist Bea with some truly masterful Acrobatics in the exhibition match that started this contest, I've been eager to see more. He's a very secretive Champion compared to those from, for example, Kanto and Unova. A former member of the Kuleen Chaar of Indius, he became Champion when the former Psychic Type Master, Champion Prakash, passed on. It's anyone's guess what else is on his belt from his traveling days, but we can confirm he's been seen roaming Indius atop an impressive and Alpha sized Copperajah. He only used his Infernape, his Medicham, an inherited Pokémon from his Master that has been passed down a long line of Indius Champions, and of course, his golden Arbok."
"I'd say he did his predecessor proud today, Gabby. Arbok was pitted against multiple typed opponents, some Ground, some Psychic, and it always pulled out an impressive win. I'm just glad that it's a tamed Arbok, and not a wild one. That thing can use Dragon Moves in its base form. Terrifying."
"That's right, loyal listeners, our friend Ty here has an ingrained fear of reptile-like Pokémon after getting his butt handed to him by Hoenn's own Champion, and his Sceptile, so many times. With Sikandar's flawless sweep of a rather long tournament bracket, that finishes Blocks C and D."
"I still say he stalked us on all those Routes, and that thing specifically had it out for my Magneton."
"It's not stalking if we're actively looking for Trainers to interview, Ty. Which is our job. Speaking of, it's nine o'clock!"
----------------------------------------
"You know what that means, Gabby! It's Champion time! To recap; the chosen Champs will now have to traverse the Galar region, with a starter of their choice, build a new Galar local team, and then Battle their way up the Battle Tower, and beat Leon's own newly crafted team. First one to do it, wins it all! Being the founder of the event, he's opted to keep his Charizard, since a lot of people seem eager to face it at full strength."
"You can't claim it's a real win against Leon without taking down that Charizard, Ty. The only other exception in this tournament is Champion Victor's Blastoise, Tank, and the word on the ground here in Galar is that everybody is eager for a rematch. Speaking of Victor, it's now time to turn to our daily Trainer interview with Galar's current reigning Champ, aiming to take victory in this latest tournament as well, Victor! Victor, you know all about facing down that infamous G Max Charizard. One could argue nobody on the planet wields a Gigantamaxed Pokémon better than Leon."
Victor seemed to be somewhere in the wild area, camping with either his Pokémon, or wild ones that had come to play with his, and eat his curry. He was older now, several years into his reign after beating the unbeatable, and the twenty-two-year-old seemed ready to take on anyone. "It's imposing, but if you recall, Gabby, my Blastoise Tank handled it pretty easily with his own Gigantamax Form."
"I don't think there's a single Galarian who's forgotten how you rolled through Leon's team with your Urshifu, and then One Hit KO'd his Charizard." Ty said, fanboying a little. "Victor will also be competing to beat Leon again, but Galar Trainers have been given a cutoff date for Pokémon they've caught and can use in this contest. With how prolific Galar's new Unbeatable Champion is, we're sure to see quite a team from him, and Leader Gloria, who declined to comment on her own less successful Battle with Leon's Charizard and was reportedly quite rude when asked for an interview."
"Yea, that sounds like Gloria." Victor said, chuckling. "I gotta get back to it. Have a good night, guys." His Rotom Phone shut off then, leaving just Gabby and Ty.
"That's all we have for tonight folks, join us in... five hours, when we cover the rest of the Eousian League's Battles, and learn what they're up to on the other side of the planet. Enjoy 'Never Gonna Give You Up, and Release You' by Galar's own Rick Astley! Goodnight!"
----------------------------------------
Gabby and Ty sighed in relief as the session came to an end, and then looked at each other. There was a familiar glint in both sets of eyes, and Ty only had time to stand, before Gabby had launched herself at him, and started kissing him. She whispered into his ear, then. "I can't wait…for the hotel…"
It was hard to hear her over the dulcet tones of Rick Astley in the background, but he knew by now what she wanted, nay, needed, and Ty was ready, willing, and eager to provide. He carried her into the soundproof booth in their studio.
----------------------------------------
Some Time Later…
----------------------------------------
"Radioooooooo PokéJaaaaaaaaaam…. QUESTION TIME!"
"Gooood Day folks, Gabby and Ty here, back with another Q and A! As per usual, we have asked you to send your questions regarding the tournament and its Champions to our official Chatter account! You can download the Chatter App on your Rotom Phone simply by going to the PokéApp Store. Alright Gabby, what questions have our audience asked?"
"First question comes from Cooltrainer Caroline from Hoenn: Hey Gabby, big fan of the show. Can you tell me why the Champions from the Italia and Polska Regions haven't been fighting in the same block? They're right next to each other."
"Ah, good one. The participants were not matched against one another based on their Region. Instead, they were randomly matched against one another. Mikolaj has been able to participate at the tournament near his home, which was held in the Germania Region. Isabella on the other hand had to travel to Paldea. Because of that, Mikolaj has already arrived at his hotel in Galar, while Isabella is still stuck at the airport in Mesagoza. You know how it is with public transport between Paldea and Galar…Arceus forbid someone lets a Tinkaton onto the island."
----------------------------------------
"Yeeeeaaah Ty, careful, because if I may remind you, our SPONSOR…"
"OUCH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?"
"...Our Sponsor Air Galar is mostly on time. When their Corviknight are not beset by violent little pink dwarf Pokémon that want to strip them for metal."
"..."
"..."
"OKAY NEXT QUESTION. Gabby, you should answer this one! The beautiful Claire from Kalos is apparently a great fan of our Juicy Celebrity Talk Show. She wants to know if we will be exploring more of the Champion's backgrounds and Social Life."
----------------------------------------
"Heck, we wouldn't be Gabby and Ty if we would skip on stalking them now, would we? Our reporter team is currently analyzing every single known piece of information about them. Whatever stories are available on the Pokénet, Chatter Statuses, Pictures, Gossip… Trust us, we will have fun in our upcoming shows!"
"I'm afraid time's up. But don't worry, Pokéfans. Soon, the challenge will start, and all of the Gym matches, as well as some official interviews and rival matches will be live on TV! Until it starts, do enjoy the most recent hits from Rick Astley!"
"If there's anything you need~ All you have to do is say so~ "
----------------------------------------
Several Hours Later…
----------------------------------------
"It's the witching hour, on Radio Pokéjaaaam! I'm Gabby, alone tonight, since Ty is...drained after a hard day's work. Tonight, I'll be going over the most commonly asked questions from Chatter as we fill airtime before the start of World Champion Leon's latest Champion Challenge!"
"After yesterday's broadcast many of you were wondering why certain Champions from certain Regions, mostly Unova in this case, weren't competing. Officially, the current reigning Champion in Unova is a bit up in the air, as Alexander Redwood, the man responsible for restoring the Tao Trio to their former glory is...busy. His granduncle, one Professor Redwood, tells us he's busy training in the Great Swamp south of Transylveticut. As are a number of other Champions from the States. N is also missing after being dethroned, and Leon's rules require a current Champion to compete."
"Other common questions surrounded the popular Champ from Italia, Isabella Fondacaro, and why she had to fly all the way to the Paldea Region, rather than host Juliana in an Italia based tournament. As always loyal listeners, Gabby has the scoop. Apparently, someone in the Italia League made a complaint to someone in the Italia Government," She said, hinting not-so-subtly at the crime families who ruled Italia, "and the result was the Champion of Italia having to go to far more rationally minded Paldea, for a fair and honest tournament match free of…interference. This has once more led credence to the rumors of Champion Fondacaro having familial ties to the Rossi Family, who of course, infamously bankroll the group of terrorist Pokémon abusers known as Team Rocket."
Gabby yawned, and then drank from her coffee, tired after dumping so much exposition. "Reportedly, Champion Leon has three Galar starter Pokémon for each of the winning Champions to choose from. We'll be back with you in the A.M. to cover who picked what, what Natures they have, and which of our four Champs has the strongest start, only on Radio Pokéjaaaam! Here's your requested six-hour block of Rick Astley, with a cover from former Leader Pier's band every half hour. See you in the sunlight, listeners!"
----------------------------------------
Later That Morning…
----------------------------------------
"Helloooooooo Galar! Gabby and Ty, finally back at our full power and ready to report the latest gossip from the Galar Challenge! Ty, you've been… uuuuhm…. Out for a bit. Feel better again?"
"Heheh honestly I never felt better! No regrets, I'd pull a hammy trying to do that again any da- Ouch!"
"Yeah, anyway. Chatter has been going with the rumors and sightings of various Champions and Gym Leaders. Honestly, it's hard to actually tell the truth apart from the tall tales. There are however a few things we can confirm, and for you, my dear viewers, we summarized all of it!"
"Fans, don't forget to Tag us at GabbiAndTy whenever you get juicy pictures or info for us. We will make sure to look into it. Gabby and I share this account, and our crew also helps us take care of all of the information which keeps flooding our favorite social media platform. Let's start with the arrival of the Champions. Gabby, what did we learn today?"
"Apparently, Ty, various Gym Leaders have been seen with the Champions - and the Trainers of the respective Gym's have confirmed their Leader's participation in organizing the transportation of our finalists. The rumors are going wild on Chatter and honestly, I love it! The hottest takes right now are:
Sikandar Jiyoshi from the Indus region was sired by Professor Gary Oak and is now back for revenge for those years of neglect. He also wants to take all of the Professor's money as soon as he wins the Challenge.
Polska's Mikolaj apparently has this hobby where he makes simple toys for the good girls and boys of Europa, and then flies around on his Hydreigon, delivering them.
Champion Isabella has close relations with Giovanni. She actually never trained her Pokémon on her own. All of them were stolen by Team Rocket."
None of the rumors on Chatter about Champion Zabrina are fit for the air waves.
"Okay Gabby, that sounds like a bunch of Bouffalant Stool. What else do we have?"
"Hmmm, apparently they are blocking off the roads of Wedgehurst. Since all of the Gym Leaders seem to be heading south, it is safe to assume the Challenge will start there. Also… the police have been handing out restriction orders for both media and fans. Outside of certain, set times, we are not allowed to take pictures, talk to the challengers or follow them. They are ready to take offenders of these rules into custody."
"Whoa, that's hard! But I heard there are certain fans who are already creating potential ships between the Champions, or Gym Leaders, even placing bets on who ends up with whom, romantically. Those discussions are currently just as popular as the question of who will win the challenge."
"Of course they are. Speaking of the challenge, in one hour, they will randomly select two pairs out of our four contestants. While the Champions are expected to fight together for most of the challenge, their final Battle before facing Leon will actually be a one on one with their partner, right before they start climbing the Battle Tower. I am so excited, Ty!"
"And so am I. Welp, time for a… break… hehe."
Some rustling noises and a zipper being zipped, or unzipped, made it onto the air waves.
"Ehem. We will see you then. Until then, chatter away, Pokéfans!"
Radio PokéJaaaaaaam
----------------------------------------
Several Hours Later, Wedgehurst Town - Galar Region
----------------------------------------
A very disheveled looking Gabby and Ty, with his shirt only half tucked into his pants, were stationed outside Professor Sonia's lab in Wedgehurst. Beside them was the regal looking dapper suit-clad Galar Chairman, the formerly unbeatable Leon, and a smirking Indius man, looking far too casual by comparison in his green hoodie and yellow-orange undershirt. It seemed someone had already hit Galar's local clothing shop to better blend in.
"Radio Pokéjam is coming to you live from Wedgehurst Town, after our Champion from Indius here broke Chatter with his announcement. First things first Sikandar, do you think it's fair that one of the contestants gets a ride down here from the Champion putting on this contest?"
"Not at all, Gabby. I landed in Wyndon for my final Battle early this morning, gotta love time zones, and I knew there was at least one person in Wyndon who could get me to the start point, since nobody seemed to know where it was. Leon here treated me to some breakfast after I interrupted his morning with Professor Sonia, and they even let me pick my starter Pokémon." At that point, two flashes of white appeared beside him, revealing his Infernape, and a tiny female Grookey, who landed on his shoulder. He patted the Grookey as the Infernape looked around for anyone who might harm her. "This is Kuranku. She's a brave little spitfire and is as eager as I am to get this party started. As you can see, my starter Bandar already likes her."
----------------------------------------
Ty whistled. "A brave Rillaboom is going to be hard to beat. They're not known for their speed anyways, but that Attack power is no joke. Neither is their Defense."
Sikandar nodded in agreement. "Victor and Gloria are also here, you know. But then, they live here. They also have their starters, evidently eggs that they've gotten from their original starter Pokémon."
Leon spoke up then. "Ahh! Here come the rest of them!" He turned to Gabby then. "We'll be holding the opening ceremony right here in Wedgehurst in a few minutes. Tell your friends, Galar! This year's ultimate contest is starting!"
----------------------------------------
Gabby and Ty moved aside and prepared themselves for their next live show, ready to report everything to Galar and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, a few more people arrived. "Leon. Per your wishes, I brought Mikolaj with me." Kabu nodded politely, before leaving the tall blonde with Leon and Sikandar. It seemed like a few other Gym Leaders were here as well, making sure none of the excited fans would disturb the opening ceremony.
Their new arrival grinned and pushed up his sunglasses. "Good to meet you. James Pond and I are ready to win this thing." In contrast to his name, the small Sobble Mikolaj had with him was jumping with excitement. "He seems to be quite modest, and eager to win, as well." Apparently, Kabu had already provided him with a starter.
Before the gathered Champions could properly chat, a sudden shadow looming over the group drew their eyes up to the sky. A huge Flygon landed a little too close for comfort next to Leon. Raihan took another Selfie, creating an awesome shot of himself and Isabella, as well as Leon's surprised face in the background. "Heheheh, perfection. I'mma upload that one to Chatter!" He exclaimed, before waving Isabella off. "Enjoy Galar. Lookin' forward to beating you, once you arrive at my Gym!" He put his Flygon back into his Pokéball and joined the other leaders as well.
Isabella let her new Grookey out and joined the group which surrounded Leon. Her small Pokémon kept standing between her and anyone who dared to approach her, seemingly not being scared at all. He did look curiously at the other Grookey, though. "I was a bit surprised to receive my starter already. But adamant little Carey and I are ready as well." She seemed to have a habit of accompanying whatever she said with little motions of her hands - in this case, waving to her Pokémon while introducing him.
"Ah, Miko, long time no see!" She hugged the Champion of the Polska Region, and they did this weird Europan thing where they acted like they were kissing each other's cheeks, but actually only kissed the air next to it. Cameras were flashing from behind them, but it seemed like they didn't care, grinning at each other like old friends.
Then, the gorgeous woman turned to Leon and the Indius champion, whose eyes hadn't moved from her since she landed. "Aah, and you must be Sikandar. I saw your match on TV. That Arbok of yours was on fire! Good to meet you, I am Isabella." She simply extended her fully tattooed right arm, offering a fist bump.
----------------------------------------
Sikandar's eyes were on the woman from the moment she hopped off the Flygon, and as he took her in, in person, he decided he was very much against 'Raihabella' as a concept, on Chatter. That needed to be drowned out, and there were ways to achieve that. She was beautiful in a way he did not have the words to accurately convey, and his instincts were telling him to be bold. So, he figured he'd give the social media obsessed crowds something else to gossip over, when she finally acknowledged his existence.
He snared her blue eyes with his deep brown ones, stepping confidently up to the edge of her personal space bubble as one of his surprisingly soft and dark brown hands penetrated her fist, and brought the back of her hand up to his lips. "Sikandar Jiyoshi, at your service, Isabella." His kiss was brief, and his lips were dry enough to not leave spit residue on her hand. The cameras behind the blockade exploded with light, but none of it deterred him from the not-so-subtle smirk he was giving her.
Her curves, her style, her vibe, everything she was putting out was absurdly attractive to him in a way most women usually weren't, and while he didn't typically attempt le romance, as those in Kalos and Italia called it, he was as much a stranger to the rules as Rick Astley was. Below and next to them, his female Grookey distracted Isabella's adamant boi with several bats of the eyes, only for Bandar, his Infernape, to step between them, and silently bare his teeth, which was ape speech for 'Muk off, mate'. As the future Rillaboom and the Infernape created a male rivalry with their glare, another Trainer came onto the scene, this time by way of a flying Gyarados, steered by Leader Nessa herself.
The model didn't seem thrilled with her passenger, who was clinging to her midriff, and as they landed, she was too glad to drop the woman from Romani off with the rest of the foreign Champions, before joining the other Gym Leaders in the crowd.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
----------------------------------------
Isabella was surprised, both by his gesture, and his boldness. Men from her own country were usually bold as well - but not with her. Since the rumor was started of her being a relative of Giovanni, a lot of people had been scared of her. Before she could react, her smol Grookey jumped up and bonked his stick between their hands, forcing them apart. The little Pokémon was in full protection mode and apparently understood the tension between the two of them a little differently. He was still young, though. From his perspective, female Pokémon were either 'Eww' or just another playmate.
That other Grookey over there did look cute though, he noticed, once he landed back on the ground, but the Infernape next to her seemed like it would skin him alive. Shaking to his bones, he kept standing adamantly in front of Isabella, staring down both the Infernape and Sikandar, not letting anyone step closer to his Trainer, not even the tall blonde she had seemed to be friendly with before.
Once Isabella regained her composure, she got down on her knees and placed a hand on her Pokémon's head. "You're a brave one, Carey. I like your attitude." She didn't pick him up or shelter him in any way and simply reassured him in his actions. The Indius champion had obviously been flirting with her, but she didn't really know what to make of it. For all she knew, he could become her rival within the next hour. And Isabella was determined to win, no matter how hot her opponent was. She glanced at him, trying to make sense of him and his actions, but soon got distracted by Nessa's gigantic Gyarados.
"Ah, you must be the Romani Champion!" Leon called out to their newest arrival, happy to have a distraction from whatever just happened. Sonia facepalmed in the background. "I assume Nessa has provided you with your starter as well?"
----------------------------------------
"She did." The woman said, raising her ball. "A jolly little Scorbunny. I have a few others, as well." Her hair was long, luscious, and raven black, her eyes had a purple tint to them, and her smile was as real as Mikolaj's and Isabella's. Quite a few Champions disliked dealing with large amounts of press, and crowds of fans. Sikandar seemed the most ambivalent, almost too chill, as he'd point or shoot finger guns at when he spied a fan of his in the crowd. Quite a lot of them were female.
"Ohoho!" Leon said, grinning wide and obviously excited. "This one's ready to rumble."
Sikandar eyed the newest arrival, and his eyes narrowed slightly, as they fell on her belt. She had one normal ball, and one Dive Ball that seemed out of place. He glanced at Nessa then, and using the tricks he'd learned from his master, psychically planted a thought to check her balls in her subconscious. A small suggestion, that wouldn't impact her free will. The actions she took after checking would entirely be her own. He went back to smiling, completely innocent seeming, as the water Gym Leader's hand brushed over her belt and found it one ball short. She whirled with the grace of a model, but her expression was fierce, and the Indius Champion found himself quailing slightly. He made a mental note to never get on Nessa's bad side.
Leon arched an eyebrow as she approached, his grin fading. "Is there a problem, Nessa?"
----------------------------------------
"Yes." She said, grabbing Leon's suit collar, and yanking the annoyingly tall man down to her height as she whispered angrily into his ear. The cameras flashed again, and Leon lowered the brim of his hat, before raising it, with a smile that mirrored the fake ones plastered on most of the group's faces. "Champion Zabrina. Join us in the Lab for a moment, won't you?" Leon gave a meaningful look to Sonia then, who nodded, not missing a beat.
"Roight folks! It's time to draw! Which Champions will pair up, and which will become fated rivals!" Sonia gestured to a simple cardboard box on a table beside the lab's entrance. "We'll have each of our Champions draw lots! One is with two, three is with four. Very simple! Erm...Champion Sikandar! You first, luv."
The Indius Champion's eyes had already been drawn back to the Italia beauty like a trio of Magnemite, but he snapped back to reality at Sonia's words, and as he drew his lot, glanced inside the lab. Evidently it was soundproofed, because Nessa was going off on Zabrina, as she recovered her ball from her by force. The Romani Champion made no move to stop her, clearly caught red handed at this point. Leon pinched his brow, and began speaking, but Sikandar had lingered long enough and wasn't able to read his lips. He drew his lot, opened it, then held it high. "As I said. I'm number one!"
----------------------------------------
The cameras flashed, and the admittedly handsome Champion held the pose confidently. They flashed more as his Grookey joined him in posing, mimicking the stance, or perhaps just reaching for the lot. He gave it to her, and the little monkey seemed entertained by the tiny paper. She tried nomming it, then frowned in disgust, and Sikandar brought her back to the line they'd been standing in as he gently scolded her to not eat paper. He handed her a berry instead, which she happily chowed down on.
"Alroight, Champion Mikolaj, you're next." Sonia said, gesturing after a glance at her lab. The blonde Champion gave the crowd a wave, and as they took his pic, his Sobble tried not to quail in fear of the flashing lights, and disappeared from sight, at which point he cried quietly and tried to control his emotions. Mikolaj brandished his lot as Sikandar had. "Number four!"
This sent a murmur through the crowd, as this now meant it would be a male/female male/female showdown, and Chatter exploded with ships. At that moment, Nessa stormed out of the lab, Dive Ball in hand, and placed it on her belt before summoning her Gyarados, and promptly leaving. Leon rejoined Sonia with a look that confirmed to many that the two were one hundred percent an item. He spoke loudly then as Zabrina rejoined the line and drew the camera's attention. "Isabella, why don't you go next?"
----------------------------------------
"Sure." Isabella answered, stepping forward to the card box. All cameras were on her, and their viewers were already holding their breath as to which number she would end up with. This was it, after all: The number which would decide all of the pairings. Isabella made a dramatic pause before reaching in. She could feel the two remaining pieces of paper. She knew Miko from their time as kids at the Pokémon Summer Camp in Kalos. They had been friends since then, always looking forward to playing with each other in the summer. He would be a safe option to end up with. Strong, nice, not going to make a move on her.
Sikandar on the other hand, was a mystery to her. Handsome, definitely a charmer. She, however, was focused on winning a challenge. And so, she found herself hoping to end up with the known. Finally deciding for a lot, she drew it out, silently reading the number. Their audience, which had been cheering so far, was holding their breath until the woman smiled, revealing the number. "Two! My number is two!" More cameras flashing, cheering crowds and masses of Chatter posts were streaming in. Her Grookey didn't quite understand what was going on, but jumped up and down with excitement anyway, performing a little somersault at his last jump.
Nodding to her new partner in crime, she went back in line, this time standing closer to Sikandar, putting the two of them visually together for the press. She looked ready to beat someone up. Sikandar looked like he'd been indulging in some Leaf. The other two champions - Zabrina just coming back from the lab and receiving the remaining lot - were now forming a pair as well. They gave the media some time to take their pictures, while the tv crew made a commercial break. A salesman came towards them, whispering something to Leon, while his assistants carried four large bags towards the champions. Finally, Gabby and Ty came back for their part of the show.
----------------------------------------
"Alllllright folks, it's finally time! The pairs have been decided! Leon, care to explain the rules again?" Gabby held the microphone towards the purple haired man. "Sure. Our Champions have now formed pairs of two. As you just witnessed, Champion Sikandar and Isabella are a Team, as well as Mikolaj and Zabrina." He made a dramatic pause, while the crowd was cheering even louder, shouting their favorite's name. There were an awful lot of children calling out to Mikolaj, who just smiled and waved at them. Sikandar did a double take, as he saw most of them holding simple wooden Pokémon toys. Maybe Gabby and Ty had been on to something, for once.
"Our Champions just received a starter Pokémon, and they will now start the same journey usually made by our ten-year-old Pokémon Trainers, to become the very best. The four are not allowed to use Pokémon, cash or Items from their previous journeys in tournament related Battles. To make sure everybody has the same chances, we have prepared four individual Backpacks for them. Even the space at Professor Sonia's Lab, which will hold their additional caught Pokémon, is exactly the same. Now, let's welcome the President of the Silph Corporation to show you the official Pokémon Trainer Starter kit!"
The president, as well as the Sales Crew, showcased the bag which was able to hold way more items than one might think. There was a tent inside, which could connect to other tents from the same brand to form a living room between the sleep chambers. Basic Potions, a pocket for their starting Money of $20,000 as well as twenty Pokéballs were stored here as well. "In our newest model, we have also included a Berry bag, cooking supplies and a Rotom Folding Bike, fully compatible with your Rotom Phone. I won't bore you with all of the other extras but… let me assure you it's affordable, and the perfect choice for your ten-year-old Pokémon Master to be!"
----------------------------------------
The assistants gave each of the champions a bag, and some time to inspect it, before the Cameras shifted back to Gabby and Ty. "So, what will their goal be?" Ty continued his interview, and Sonia stepped forward. "They are going to build a strong team and will try to defeat the Gym Leaders of Galar-" The Camera drifted over the Gym Leaders, who waved to the crowds. "-before each of them will face off in Wyndon Stadium. The winner of those Battles will have to fight through the Battle Tower, to reach Leon. Once each pair has Eight Badges and reaches Wyndon stadium, they will have a two-on-two match to decide which pair will then have a one-on-one match, to attempt the Battle Tower. If the first Champion fails, the next in line, the one who loses the one on one, will go next, and then, if necessary, the remaining pair will Battle, and that will determine who makes a third attempt, and then a fourth. Since this is Leon we're talking about, and his Battle Tower is no joke, there is a very real chance that whoever goes first will lose. Better take good care of your partners!" At those words, Isabella looked up at Sikandar, a bit uncertain. She just hoped he trained his new team just as well as the Arbok she saw on TV.
"Finally, each of the contestants will have a specific rival they have to fight at set points along the path to Wyndon. Leon, Wanna draw the pairs?" Sonia asked, and if anyone doubted they were a couple, the brief brush of her fingers over his forearm to catch his attention would definitely fix that.
"No need!" Leon said confidently. "The boys will face each other! As will the girls, based on the lots they already drew! One versus four! Two versus three! As you train your teams, you'll pit them against each other, and grow even stronger!" Leon paused to let the crowd cheer. "You'll also run into Champion Victor and Leader Gloria on your travels! Gloria will be out of her Gym, so Battling her will be a surprise! They'll be using their own fresh teams and will be popping up in places you least expect them!"
He waved to his Charizard then and took to the air, as the Gym Leaders guided the crowd. "Take the train to the Wild Area station, and then head for your first Gym! Milo's! Good luck, Champions! I'll be waiting for you at the Battle Tower in Wyndon!"
----------------------------------------
As Leon flew off, Sikandar glanced at Mikolaj and Zabrina, and then at Isabella. He grinned and took off running. Mikolaj was right behind him, with the girls presumably following after them. Sikandar hopped in the first Taxi, and smirked as Isabella was right behind him. Their Corviknight shot into the air, seemingly wanting to get ahead of the other Corviknight flying the other taxi, who shifted impatiently as Champion Zabrina took her sweet time. He was taking them to the western side of the southern Wild Area, while Mikolaj's Taxi went east, towards the haunted ghost tower side. Everything there was rather strong and would require a stronger team to catch. If they played fairly. Despite the Quick Balls Mikloaj's Delibird snuck to him, the ghosts broke free, and sent the pair sprinting for a lower-level area.
On the other side of the lake, in the grasslands, the sun was shining, the fields were brimming with Tyrogue and Ralts, and Sikandar laughed as he took in the sight. "It's like being surrounded by violent children. Good thing I already caught a brave little Rookiedee. I'll get a Tyrogue too." The handsome man smirked at his gorgeous partner as they landed, and the Corviknight took off again. "Going for one of the Ralts?"
----------------------------------------
The Italia Champion took in the vast grassland, a bit in awe, before being distracted by his question. "Huh, and here I thought Raihan did me a favor when he dropped me off to catch a few as well. Guess the Gym Leaders and Leon have prepared all of us well." On her own belt were two additional Pokéballs already. "I really adore those Gardevoir, but they're hard to find in my Region. I won't let this chance go to waste. And these…Dynamax Dens? Let's empty all of them!" She was truly excited, feeling just the same as when she had started her first journey.
"How about you? Apart from that Tyrogue, are you looking for something specific?" Asking her question let her realize that it would probably be a good idea to split up for a bit. There were so many different Pokémon here, they might as well end up getting a base team ready. "I think this would be a good opportunity to get in some training for our Grookey as well. I think I saw a nice camping spot where we could meet up in the evening." Taking out her Rotom phone, she typed something. "Gimme your number? I'll send you the coordinates."
Sikandar casually sent her his number, and then pocketed the phone as his inner self cheered in victory. "I'm just going to see what's around. Don't forget to grab berries for dinner, they didn't give us any in our starter kits." With that, he dashed off, skillfully dodging Tyrogue tackles as startled Ralts sensed him coming, and Teleported...about five feet away. He found a Tyrogue with a naughty nature, along with a shy, modest little girl Ralts. The rest of the time, Sikandar had Kuranku beat every Corphish that rose to challenge them, which was all of them, along the shore of the lake. Eventually, he had to stop going north, as their opponents were simply too strong for Kuranku. He could've used his team, but that wouldn't be necessary for what he was building unless it turned foggy at some point. They weren't allowed to use their original partners for the challenge, but there was no rule about using them to fly, Teleport, or battle the stronger parts of the Wild Area. Using them to catch said stronger Pokémon was against the rules, though.
It was late in the day when he finally returned, with a Thwackey by his side. She was thwacking a beat out on everything they passed, and the tired and dirty Indius man seemed satisfied with his full belt. He also returned with a pile of berries, truly just an absurd amount of them, and started tossing the better ones (without Skwovet bites) into the curry pot. He definitely spent longer out in the wilderness than she had, and he winked at her as he called out Bandar to light the fire with Ember. It had been a long day of training and catching, but now it was time to win Isabella in the best way he knew, through her stomach. "Wait until you try my curry. I've never gotten below Charizard class."
----------------------------------------
He also let out his partners then, and his Rookiedee was now a gallant Corvisquire. His Tyrogue took one look at Isabella, and was smitten, much like his Trainer. The first moment she let her eyes off him, he tried grabbing her ass. The other additions were a kind of pathetic looking Magikarp, which was average size for their species, a Rolycoly, and a modest seeming Ralts just brimming with psychic potential. "You can have the Ralts if you like, but you'll have to trade me something good. She's going to be strong. I call her Kandra."
Her tent was already standing up, with Isabella sitting in front of it, a map and a few guides spread out all over the ground. A Pokéball was among her scattered belongings, and when it twitched, she idly placed a book on it. She looked up to greet him, smiling. "Huh, looks like both of us had a productive day." Isabella tossed her bag of berries over to Sikandar and watched him cook. "At least one of us knows how to do this. Cooking isn't exactly my specialty." Whatever the Indius man made there, it already smelled delicious.
After hearing the drums of the other freshly evolved plant Pokémon, her own Thwackey came jumping out of the tent, staring at her with wide eyes. Apparently, females had suddenly stopped being 'Ew.' The other Pokémon of hers, most of them still rather shy, followed their 'leader' and checked out the newcomers. "Kandra? What a beautiful name. She really does look really strong…I caught my own Ralts, but it seems he's male." The little boy she had caught was shyly hiding behind a Noibat, which curiously looked at the male human and wondered if he belonged to the same flock as his new Trainer.
----------------------------------------
The rest of her new team was another pathetic looking Magikarp, a Yamper, and a shivering Snorunt. The young Pokémon mingled, and soon were one happy little group. When the Tyrogue tried making a move on Isabella, her Ralts stood between her and the handsy fighting type as he stood protectively in front of her, shivering while doing so.
Isabella stood and flicked her index finger at Tyrogue's forehead. "That's not okay. Your Trainer and I are going to have to teach you some manners. And you…" She knelt down to the shivering Ralts and smiled. "Thank you, Raphael. But I can protect myself." She shook her head and then stood, meeting Sikandar's eyes evenly. "I almost forgot what a hassle young ones can be. But they're also cute. How have you been doing with yours?"
Bandar had come out of his ball the second her Thwackey appeared. His taller, lankier form and much, much higher level showed as he snarled at the male. Just as his fire-hair started to Blaze, Kuranku grabbed his hand, and dragged the taller ape over to play across the camp, batting her eyes at him, and likely breaking poor Carey's heart in the process. Sikandar watched intently throughout the conflict as he cooked, but then returned his attention to the curry.
The two Magikarp Splashed uselessly beside one another constantly shouting 'KARP KARP KARP!' the Yamper came up and nearly burned herself on the curry pot before Sikandar brushed her away. His Rolycoly started chasing the pupper around then, to keep it from the pot and diligently help his new Trainer, while the Yamper seemed to think instead that it was now a game.
----------------------------------------
"I haven't caught anything too ferocious yet." He said nonchalantly. "Curry time!" He shouted as he finished stirring and putting his 'heart' into it. He set aside the human's bowls first, and then let the Pokémon have at it. Naturally, squabbling ensued, before Bandar took over with a shrieking shout, and began apportioning it out one by one. He knew his Trainer's games, and the Magikarp were fed first, then all of the littles who were listening well, and then lastly the Tyrogue, who seemed angry at his lack of inclusion, until Bandar growled at him, and gestured at Isabella with the spoon. Angry and annoyed, the naughty Tyrogue stalked off to a far part of the camp to eat his portion in peace. Bandar brought a bowl to Kuranku, even as Sikandar brought one to Isabella.
"Enjoy, my lady." He said with that absurdly charming smile. He was two bites in and about to converse, and likely flirt more, when his Magikarp flopped over. "What, now?" "KarpKarpKarpKarp!" It answered, and he sighed. "Fine. Watch my bowl, would you?" He said to Isabella as he and the flopping fish headed towards the lake near their encampment. It wasn't more than a few steps away.
He opened his bag then and pulled out a Muk ton of Exp candies. "I did some den diving, too." He explained as the Magikarp hopped around excitedly. "Solely for Seiryu here." He dumped them into the fish's mouth, and the carp's eyes dilated, and then went wide. Sikandar threw him into the lake as he began glowing, and moments later, his jolly Gyarados broke the water with a gleeful, and terrifying roar.
----------------------------------------
"Look at you!" Sikandar said, beaming, and the Gyarados swam over to his Trainer with what seemed like a happy growl. Sikandar gave him all the scritches, and he glanced back at Isabella. "This is why I fed them first." As Seiryu swam away, he broke the water again in a waterfall of color, and across the lake, flashes from a multitude of camera phones flashed, taking in the sight. He waved at them, and the flashes grew brighter.
"Bandar!" Sikandar said, as he noted the fire monkey was finished. "Keep them out of the camp. Have the Onix help you." Said wild Onix was coiled up near their camp and a bit beyond their newbies level at the moment. He didn't want a Steelix for this team, but Bandar would be able to use its territorial nature to help keep the humans away from the camp if necessary. It wasn't the first time they'd wrangled one of the rock snakes for their benefit.
Isabella handed him a Pokéball as he sat back down. "I decided I'll take your offer. I'll train Kandra, and you can train my Raphael here. He's a little shy, but he has an Adamant nature. They'll grow faster if they're traded, and it's not like they're really leaving us. Not yet anyway." The whole tournament promised to last at least until the start of this year's month-long Festivus season at least. He handed over Kandra, and eyed his future Gallade's ball, nodding. He had a new appreciation for the malleable psychic fighter, after seeing what the new Unovan Champion's had been able to do in a League typically considered to be more difficult than even his own.
----------------------------------------
Carey the Thwackey ate his meal while jealousy watching the other two apes walk to the other side of the camp. His eyes were burning with determination as he swore to himself to become stronger and make the pretty Kuranku acknowledge him.
When she noticed the media, Isabella put both of their bowls down and reached for her own Pokéballs. "Genoa! Roast any Water Pokémon they might throw in Bandar's way." Her Ampharos appeared, nodded and followed Sikandar's Pokémon as backup. Given his team's strength, she knew it was unnecessary. She simply sent hers out to scare possible intruders away. When her own Pokémon were done eating, she gave her Magikarp just enough candy to evolve as well, and Shenlong happily swam around the lake with Seiryu. They were both males, and began sparring, but soon their attacks drew an older female Gyarados to them, and at that point, the three water serpents moved under the water to do what life did best.
Then, Isabella threw a Dawn Stone at the Snorunt. "Hey Elsa, catch!" Which resulted in it grabbing the stone like it was hiding it under its little cloak, before it evolved into a Froslass. The air grew notably colder, but the newly ghost typed Pokémon still seemed friendly towards them, or her Trainer, at least. Sikandar could tell she wouldn't attack him, at least. "Nice. I'd say our teams are coming along. Although I do already see a few of them I might have to change sooner rather than later." Her eyes glanced over to her Yamper, which still happily played with the Rolycoly, chasing each other around the camp. "Our finale will be epic. I've seen Miko train and fight for years - and Zabrina will be just as strong. We can't afford to be soft."
She then noticed how he eyed her Noibat. "Has Fafnir caught your eye?" She asked, before finally finishing the curry. "Well, I am actually considering hunting for another dragon, as he doesn't quite fit with the team composition I have in mind. Was just lucky I found this little guy in a Den. He's gentle, but still hits like a truck."
----------------------------------------
Sikandar had the same opinion of his Rolycoly, but having a fire type once it evolved wouldn't hurt, with who they had to face. He was adamant, and regardless of his final team, would end up useful eventually thanks to his ability to quickly warm and hatch eggs.
Sikandar had actually snorted as he heard what she'd named her Froslass. Every culture had stories of the powerful Ice Queen at the north pole, but they were fairy tales. He personally found Froslass in general to be different from the sorceress' archetype, but he rolled with it. Elsa. Ice type. Hilarious.
He finished his curry as incoherent ape screams filled the distance, and several Thunderbolts, probably too powerful for most reporter's water types, flashed over the lake. They needed new trousers after not one, but two Gyarados raged them out of the water, without actually hurting them, and while keeping wild water types from pouncing on the humans.
"Noivern has a lot of hype, but there's a different dragon I have my eye on. If I can but find it..." Sikandar muttered, looking northward across the Wild Area. His eyes widened, as he spotted fog.
----------------------------------------
Isabella grinned when she heard him chuckle at what she'd called her new Froslass. He may be a flirt, but at least he apparently had a good sense of humor as well. She could work with that. Her own bowl was empty by now, and a good stretch made her notice just how tired she was after running around in the wild all day. "Oh? Which one?" She was definitely curious, as she hadn't decided on the dragon she wanted for her own team.
The two Ralts were tossing each other a ball in the background, using it to train their psychic powers, while the Noibat, Fafnir, was dangling upside down from a tree, and napping. Seeing Sikandar staring longingly into the middle distance made her heart rate increase, and she realized the handsome Indius Champion was definitely starting to grow on her.
Sikandar shamelessly watched her stretch, and then blinked, and checked his map on his upgraded Rotom Phone, provided of course in their goody bag. Since he'd already had a Rotom, they'd just given the Champions new, modern cases for them. The new case was also green, orange, and white. "One that should be appearing…right about now, actually...you stay here. It ah...spooks easily."
----------------------------------------
Sikandar finished his curry, put the wee mons to bed, and then set out with Bandar into the Wild Area, heading north. He was almost all the way to Hammerlocke City by the time he reached his destination, and a thick fog had fallen over the entire Wild Area. He prowled silently through the grass, and then came upon a lonely little Dreepy, which Bandar Flame Charged to surprise it and have its back facing Sikandar, and then Sikandar caught with a masterful Quick Ball throw right to the center of its ghostly spine. He called a taxi for a ride back to the meetup spot, and then jogged the comparatively short distance to their camp one ball heavier.
On his way, he was ambushed by Gabby and Ty, who demanded an interview. He waited patiently, as they did the intro to their annoying, but informative show.
Radio Pokejaaaaaam!
"A wonderful happy goooooood Morning Galar! Gabby and Ty here, with the newest news from the Galar Challenge. Gabby, how did the first day go for our participants?"
"Well, after receiving their starters, the teams apparently have followed two completely different strategies. Zabrina and Mikolaj have gone straight to Turffield and are about to challenge the first Gym Leader. On their way, they have Battled with about every Trainer who dared to set a foot on Route Three. They tried to keep their teams a secret, but we did see Mikolaj with both a Delibird and a Sizzlepede. Since Zabrina has picked the fire starter, Leader Milo will probably have a bad time with them. Speaking of him... Rumors tell us Leader Gardenia of the Sinnoh Region, renowned for her cunning strategies and debilitating Leech Seeds, has been seen at Turffield as well. I wonder, do they plan on doing a two on two, or is something entirely different going on?"
----------------------------------------
"On another note, Zabrina and Mikolaj's tents have been connected all night. While this only creates a living room space between them, we cannot track who went to who's sleeping chamber. Oo lala! How about the other two, Ty?"
"Apparently, they did not want to be found out in the wild, but you know us, we managed to get intel on them anyway. Seems like they went different ways and caught a few Pokémon. No connected tents either, which makes me wonder if those two don't get along?"
"Hmm, maybe. Don't forget the rumors about Isabella and Raihan. Maybe there's more to it? We definitely gotta check on Leader Raihan's love life at some point. I wonder where that leaves Sikandar?"
----------------------------------------
"Speaking of him, we actually have him for a surprise interview! It seems the Indius Champion has caught his newest Pokémon, which he was willing to share with us: a Dreepy! Check our Chatter Status to see a picture of the wee guy. He is simply adorable! Now, let's get to that interview!"
Gabby straightened up as she was filmed by her Rotom Phone, standing next to the Indius Champion in his newest Galar threads. " Helloooooo Sikandar! First question: Is it true that you are out for revenge on Professor Oak?"
Sikandar seemed surprised by the question. He was tired, with bags under his eyes, but a satisfied expression that came from hours of hunting for a very hard to find Pokémon, with a useful nature to boot. "No... I've never met Gary Oak, but I heard he was Champion of Kanto once. For about five minutes, before Red thrashed him. Last I heard, the Professor was in Unova. I'm here for Leon. As some of you may know, Leon's family has a branch in Indius, from which he and his cousin Iris came. Iris is apparently retiring early from Battling after being swept three times in a row at her Gym, which tracks, as she stepped down from being Champion after losing to both Rosa, who declined to take her title but entered her team in the Hall of Fame, and Nate, who thrashed her so hard, Opelucid's mayor had to step away from the city to find her and bring her back as Gym Leader. Which she has now also run from, so, that just leaves Leon."
----------------------------------------
Undaunted by her fake news being torn to shreds, Gabby continued. "I notice you and Isabella didn't link your tents, like Zabrina and Mikolaj have. Is there trouble in paradise? We saw you went different directions today, too."
Sikandar just smirked. "She knows how to build her team, and I know how to build mine. We get along rather well, but she's very focused on winning this thing. I think she'll warm up to me with time, though." He winked at the camera then and could sense Chatter exploding with the hashtag he frankly approved of but paid little attention to.
"Last question, before I let you sleep." Gabby said, before he could escape. "Miko and Zabrina seem to have made significant progress towards the first Gym, and their Badge. Are you worried about falling behind?"
Sikandar just laughed. "Not at all. Remember, the goal here is to eventually beat Leon. They're not going to be able to do that if they just rush the Gyms. They need to train, and I have a secret method for that. You'll notice Victor and Gloria aren't rushing either, though that's probably because they already have the Badges they need. I imagine they'll Battle a few of the later Gyms with their new teams once the wild makes getting stronger a grind, but they're already very much ahead of the four of us. Their focus will probably be on training new teams and testing them against us. With what our opponents have on their belts at the moment, shout out to TeamWatcher on Chatter, I have a feeling Victor is going to roll them, and halt their forward progress pretty easily. Leon told us those two would be waiting for us, somewhere on the Routes, so we're avoiding those for now. Now if you'll excuse me...I need to sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."