The Wild Area - Galar Region
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It was late when Sikandar finally returned to the camp, and only their Gyarados, who were still submerged in the lake, were the ones stirring. Everyone else was asleep or watching for danger.
When he returned to the camp, Isabella had already gone to bed, and was fast asleep in her tent. In front of her tent, her Liepard and Lycanroc had lain down together, Lycanroc's head resting on the Liepard's back. They were clearly keeping an eye out for intruders. If Sikandar paid attention, he could also make out her Cofagrigus, which was stalking the camp in the dark, melting into the shadows. If anyone would dare to disturb their slumber, a bad surprise would await them.
Isabella hadn't put up the connectable part of her tent, and just went with her sleep chamber. As soon as she had fallen asleep, Carey had opened the entrance, exposing his Trainer and friends to anyone who was able to walk by. Most of her team was cuddled up with her, the Yamper acting as a small blanket. Only two exceptions were made: the Froslass, Elsa, whom no one wanted to cuddle with for obvious reasons, and Carey, who was glued to the exit and looked at the stars, sighing like the lovesick teenager he was. He couldn't even sneak over to Sikandar's tent, as the two large Veteran Pokémon of hers were blocking the only way in and out. If anyone tried to pass, the protective Lycanroc would show his teeth. A warning, and one which Carey would receive multiple times throughout the night.
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The next day, she was up before him, and went to another glimmering den. Unlike him though, she came back with a grim expression, and sent the Pokémon she caught directly to the Professor. Once she returned, she simply nodded to him. "Morning! Breakfast? I went to Motostoke and got us a little something." She tossed him a bag then, with some still warm croissants, filled with jam. "Were you successful yesterday? I just went out and tried to catch a Salazzle, but…the Salandit was male."
Sikandar was in the middle of what seemed like yoga poses when she returned with breakfast that he, Bandar, and Kuranku were moving through. His shirt and jacket were off, revealing his torso and most of his body, which wasn't super heavily muscled, but did sport an impressive set of abs that had been crunched into perfection. He caught the croissants, and kept moving through poses, only to then notice his Thwackey had stopped, and was eyeing the bag with big, round, pleading eyes.
He cut the session short as he gave in to her cuteness, leaving Bandar to finish alone as his Trainer and the newbie slacked off, and shared breakfast. Finally, he answered her. "I was successful, actually. I got a Dreepy. Ajagar is a bit lonely, but he does seem to like the rest of the team." She'd probably feel a chill by the back of her neck as the Dreepy buzzed by it, and then hid again in a nearby tree. Her Yamper kept barking at seemingly nothing and had taken to chasing after the fast little dragon missile.
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He pulled on just his jacket then, leaving his abs showing, Kukui style, as he finished breakfast. "Now that we have our base teams, there's somewhere we should head, once we get to Motostoke. I say let the others keep traveling and getting Badges, right now, you and I should train. Victor was also at Leon's place when I got here, and they suggested I visit the Isle of Armor, and that Master Mustard had two sets of 'secret armor' for whichever pair reached him first and passed his trials. We can get there while the other two are plodding along Battling route Trainers and claim the armor for ourselves before they ever even know about it."
Depending on how long training took, they could be significantly far behind. Victor had famously, or infamously to some, smashed through his own challenge with the Pokémon he'd gotten from the Isle of Armor, and Sikandar saw it as a worthwhile detour. It was also full of plenty of scenic romantic spots and would be a haven from most of the fans.
"Apparently the other two had a rough time in Turffield. Gardenia's strategies and Milo's power made them lose. Mikolaj returned his Sobble, James Pond, for some reason, and took Zabrina's Scorbunny. Zabrina now has a completely different Sobble that she's calling Spion. I doubt they'll lose a second time, but either way, it just means we're actually further ahead, since neither of our teams would lose to a first Gym." He said, confidently.
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"Heh. Funny, I wanted to ask you what we were doing next anyways." As the Dreepy buzzed her neck, one Pokéball on her belt popped open, and a freshly evolved Kirlia stood protectively in front of her, after sensing a ghost type. "All's good Kandra. Eat your croissant." The Pokémon wanted to protest, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Isabella shoved the pastry inside, giving the not-so-small-anymore girl something to chew on. Kandra soon forgot Ajagar as the warm, soft, jammy deliciousness of human food blew her young mind.
She also let out the rest of her team, which was almost unchanged. Isabella's eyes briefly wandered over Sikandar's exposed upper body, but if she had any thoughts on his appearance, she didn't voice them. Her slight flush spoke loud enough for Sikandar, though. Instead, she addressed the ever-barking Yamper. "Felice, shut your trap please. Sit. Good girl, awwww look who is a cute little baby~" The doggo's fur got messed up by her hands, and when she was done, the Pokémon was sporting the tiniest mohawk with pride.
"Anyways, Isle of Armor. I analyzed the locations of Galar last night, and it really is one of the hot spots for strong and rare Pokémon. In fact, if we go there, my chances of catching a Salazzle will improve drastically. There are also tons of other Pokémon we should definitely check out. Training at this Master Dojo will probably be beneficial as well."
While looking through her backpack, she had found a train ticket to the isle. She pulled it out and showed it to him. "Guess both of us have one, right? For all I care, we could go to the station immediately and enjoy our breakfast while traveling. Glad you're not in a rush to speed through the Gyms. I prefer to have a strong team which trusts me, and frankly, I believe the two of us can profit from each other's training styles A LOT. Ready when you are."
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The Dreepy buzzed her again as she pet the Yamper, this time screeching past with a 'Dreeee!' as he headed for his Trainer this time. Felice immediately started yamping again, and Sikandar stopped the ghostly dragon missile, catching him with one hand. "Enough, Ajagar. She's a friendly. And Normal Typed. Leave her be." The Dreepy let out a little 'reep!' of protest, and he let it zoom off again. He didn't bother Isabella again though.
Sikandar drew out his ticket, and began recalling his team, as he packed up the camp. "The train just takes us to Hulbury. It's a long ride too, so we can get lunch before we catch a taxi." It'd probably be more like brunch, but dining with her in a seaside paradise like Hulbury would be enjoyable, and a prime opportunity to flirt with her. Hard.
He'd stepped closer as he examined her map of Galar, and then recalled his Dreepy as it zoomed by again. Up close, his muscles seemed covered by either a sheen of sweat or water, and he smelled faintly like spices reminiscent of what he'd used in their curry. He gave her that winning smile as he pocketed the ghostly dragon missile. "Now all we have to do is get our Gyarados untangled...they've been going at it for hours. The Pokédex says it's a dominance thing males sometimes do, but at this point, I don't buy it."
Unbeknownst to their Trainers, the two males had seduced and entrapped a female Gyarados below the lake, and while she'd been higher level, they'd taken turns restraining her while the other pollinated her Magikarp eggs. This had been going on most of the morning, so when they finally heard their Trainer's whistling, they were ready to leave the exhausted female to recover. The lake was about to have a lot more Magikarp, but that would just provide more food for the other species around them that weren't totally useless. The two water dragons slapped tail fins like a high five, as they emerged from the lake.
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Once they managed to get the Gyarados back into their Pokéballs, the female fled to the bottom of the lake, far away from her eggs, and rested. Isabella couldn't even be mad at those water Pokémon, as this was completely normal behavior for their species. She grabbed some more Pokéballs, medicine and another Dawn Stone from a traveling vendor in exchange for some Watts she'd earned, before she deemed herself ready to explore another new area.
As soon as the two of them cleared the camp and packed their bags, the now empty spot was occupied by fans who created selfies for their Chatot App. When some of them became too pushy, Isabella called out her Gothitelle, which used its psychic powers to create several doppelgängers of the pair, scattering in all directions. Most fans kept running after the pair going to the direction of the first gym, which meant the Champions now had a rather silent way back to the station. They were in luck, because not only was the next train just about ready to leave; they also found an empty compartment just for the two of them.
They picked a four-seater, sat across from each other at the window, and still had enough space to throw their bags on the empty seats next to them. At the beginning, this whole situation felt a bit awkward to her, and as the train started to roll, she decided to use the time to at least try to get to know him better. "Tell me about yourself. What's the Indius Region like? What drives you? And what kind of Pokémon do you like?"
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She just kept impressing him with her tactics, and while Sikandar had undoubtedly been drawn in by that body, her mind was enticing him just as much. He didn't notice the awkwardness she seemed to feel, as he had his dark eyes on the scenery, and kept the window open, just in case he needed to lob a ball at something rare they passed by. So far, there was nothing big enough to be hit with a ball from a moving train though, and anything smaller would just get concussed from a throw.
Ajagar was on his lap, sleeping in the daytime as Dreepy often did. The tiny dragon rotated as he slept, demanding scritches with his tiny claws. "Indius is...crowded. Hot. But there's a long history of Battle. Eous has its problems with the Imperium of Man... I'm sure you've heard of the technologically superior murderers that capture people, forcing them into slavery, and tamper with Human genetics. They rule most of the supercontinent." In actual fact, Polska wasn't officially part of their territory, though they did claim to have good relations. Germania was a different story. They'd embraced their national pride when the Imperium took them over, even offering their people to create one of the Imperators fabled Thunder Legions. Italia had actually broken free of their rule, when they'd been a smaller world power. The Imperium's capital was situated on their home mountain of Olympius, the tallest mountain in the world, with Mt. Coronet being the second highest. Olympius had once resided in southern Italia, but had been moved, allegedly, by the psychic power of the Imperator.
"I trained under the last Champion in honing my psychic powers. You might call them Aura powers, too. In Indius, we consider them one and the same. It was always my Master's dream to see the Aura Guardians restored, but the government doesn't care for psychics. They'd rather purge us...but there's an awakening happening with Humanity. In Unova. Kalos. Japan. All over the world Trainers are awakening these gifts. I intend to hone mine as much as possible."
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There was silence after he spoke, as she took a moment to comprehend his words, to imagine those crowded streets of Indius, and a proud Champion seeing his protégé achieve at least a part of his dreams. In the past, there had been reports of these powers he had mentioned. What started with Psychic Pokémon Trainers who were trying to let their Pokéballs levitate, seemed to grow into something stronger. Isabella hadn't paid it any mind, but then again, she rarely cared for what happened in the world. The media were just out for clicks and would tell their audience any story as long as it meant more money, and her region's government functioned the same way. Their greed had led to tangible power, and as long as the Five Families held most of Italia's wealth, things would stay as they were.
"So how do these powers manifest? How do they help you in your daily life?"
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He smirked, and his eyes flashed with an aura that burned like a volcano between red and orange. A rather juicy Nanab berry floated over to her, hovered before her face, and then peeled itself. He was tempted to prod it against her soft lips but resisted as that felt like it'd cross a line, instead he left it hanging there for her to come to, if she wanted a bite. "They have their uses. I'm working on being able to fly. Right now...I can produce something akin to a Confusion attack. Master said I would need to find the 'Psychic Sage' to know more, and that Leon would tell me where it was once I beat him. If I beat him."
The Dreepy let out an adorable squeak as it rolled and found his fingers at his belly, and he just stayed there for a while as he snoozed, oblivious to the world. "Master said Leon found and trained under Galar's Sage during his own Isle of Armor journey. It led him down a different path...but one lined with endless victory. At least, until Victor showed up."
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Isabella watched in awe as his eyes flashed, and the floating berry seemed to peel itself. It kept floating there, like an offer, and so she picked it up between her index finger and thumb, turning it around to inspect it. "Honestly… that's amazing! All of the psychics I have met so far were either crazy or clumsy with their powers. This is rather fine-tuned. Not bad."
Her fingers had only touched the bottom part of the berry, where a little bit of the peel was left, just so one could hold the berry. She considered returning the berry to him - but her curiosity demanded her to eat. There was a bitter-sweet explosion in her mouth, not better or worse than other berries she had eaten. Which apparently meant, his meddling hadn't affected the taste. Interesting.
Wondering what kind of possibilities this offered in their training, she fell silent again, her eyes trailing to the window while she was deep in thought, chewing on the berry, before throwing the rest of the peel into the bin under their table. Most of what he told her was new to her, especially the part about Leon and his own apparent abilities. If he was secretly psychic, that might explain his absurd record somewhat. All the talk of psychic powers made her wonder, what kind of training they would do once they arrived on the Isle, and whether or not this was something she could actually do herself.
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"Most psychics never get real training. So levitating balls is the extent of their skill. But there are some, quite a few in Indius, who elevate body and mind to achieve a kind of...Human Mega Form. The rest of Eous doesn't care for Mega Evolution, but it's a long tradition in Indius. Our Guardian, Kilini, has given out Key Stones to promising Trainers for centuries. Most people believe this is because of the Infinity Stone, which the original Qilin bestowed on our Region, but all across Eous it's typically seen as brutish to force your partner to the next level. I disagree though. I've sensed different levels of pain from multiple Trainers who can Mega Evolve their partners. The stronger the bond, the less the change hurts. It's entirely on the Trainers to show them enough love, and not Mega Evolve them early."
By the time Sikandar finished dumping exposition on her the train began to slow, and a PA dinged on in their compartment. "Soirry fokes, but there's a flock 'o Wooloo on the tracks. Our local Trainers are guidin' them off, but it'll be a furty minut delay, at laeast."
Hearing that delightful accent deliver that unfortunate news, Sikandar frowned, and then looked at his partner, with a small smirk. "Want to see how useful these powers can really be?"
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Upon hearing the announcement, she sighed. "What is it with Wooloo and blocking every damn path in this Region? The ones back home are nothing like this…" She stood, and tried to look outside through the open window, but was not able to see anything going on in front of the train. "FORTY MINUTES! Can you believe it?" His words caught her attention then. She closed the window and fell back on her seat.
"I mean… sure. It's not like we have anything better to do. And also, maybe I am a little curious."
Sikandar wagged his finger at her in a motion to follow him, and then let his Gyarados out outside the train. Naturally, this caused a slight panic inside the cars, but Seiryu didn't rampage, spent as he was. Sikandar climbed out the fully opened window, and the giant water dragon lifted him, and then Isabella, up to the train's top with its mouth. He recalled it then, but already, word was spreading and Chatotters were hanging out their own windows to try to snag a viral photo of the Champion Challengers in action.
Once atop the train, Sikandar counted how far they were from the front, and began hopping closer, until he finally landed on the front engine's roof. Once there, he waited for his partner to catch up from jumping on the slippery coal pile behind the engine, at which point he turned, and examined the Wooloo flock. "Ahh. Yep. They're led by a wild Dubwool. They'll never move until it does, and then the rest will follow them. These Trainers are just moving them one by one."
He raised both hands then, and focused, expanding his aura to reach out to the sheep below. "Let's give them a hand..." Moments later, a proudly horned male raised its head from grazing, bleated loudly, and began moving off the track. Like good sheep, the flock followed, all but bowling over the Trainers who'd been trying to herd them. With the Wooloo out of the way, Sikandar smirked, and gestured. "I think you could learn this too. Psychics...see the world differently. I can tell Types with a glance. I can also tell when other people have the potential. I've yet to meet a Champion without it." He paused, thinking for a moment, then confided in her. "Zabrina likely also has this power. It's probably how she hid Nessa's Pokéball so obviously. I only caught it because I sensed it, and a little suggestion to Nessa's mind overwrote Zabrina's command to not notice her belt."
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Isabella watched him more than the sheep, trying to figure out how he did this, how he somehow communicated to the Pokémon. Of course, this was mostly impossible. She did feel a change in the air, as his… presence, she didn't know how else to describe it, became stronger for a moment. Before she could remark on his actions, one of the employees called out to them. "Oi! We can continue, no need for you to take action. Please return to your seats."
Isabella tapped at the Pokéball which held her Gothitelle. "Make sure our train compartment looks boring. I really don't want a thousand people on their Chatter App stalking us for the rest of this ride."
The fans who had seen them already had started to search through the train. However, anyone who entered their compartment, would only see a bunch of old people playing Bingo. Which would give them some space for the rest of the ride as well.
Isabella spoke first, once they slid back into the train. "Not gonna lie, this looks like a useful skill to have, and I'm tempted to bug you to teach me right away. However, we need to focus on our Pokémon, at all times. This is likely one of the hardest challenges ever created, given the participants in the tournament, and the people we are up against. Don't know about you, but I am a sore loser. The challenge will need our utmost focus."
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He responded once the kiddos searching for them moved on in frustration. "These abilities will help us win. Especially if we can both predict what our opponents will send out next. I understand the focus on our teams, and admire it, but if you focus too hard, you'll miss the journey. And that's what gives the real experience." He gave her a charming smile then, looking far too casual as a Trainer to be as good as he was.
He was hard to ignore, with his good looks, charming smile, and those abs which still poked through the green hoodie he'd picked up in Wedgehurst when he did things like climb a train. As he met her eyes and locked on them, she'd be able to sense his presence in her head, not in a malicious way, but more of a gentle first contact. She'd probably be able to sense several things from him as he did this, namely how gorgeous he found her, her eyes, her body, her personality. The attraction was obvious as every part of her seemed to jive with his brain, but he seemed focused despite his apparently quite large attraction to her, focused on helping her take a first step into a larger world by psychically prodding a part of her she'd simply never been aware of. "Do you want to learn?" The words echoed in her skull, and it was a little weird hearing him, without his lips moving, but they didn't cause her pain like some psychic types did when they attempted human speech.
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He was easy on the eyes, but she knew barely anything about him. There were a few things she liked, though. The way he interacted with his Pokémon, his strength, confidence and wisdom as a Trainer, and of course this weird psychic power. His smile was rather charming as well, but not enough to catch her attention completely. Still, she definitely wanted to learn more about him.
What had put her a little on edge was the fact of how quick he had been to flirt with her when they first met. For all she knew about him, he could be one of those cringey Chatter Influencers that Elmo Musk paid to fill Chatter with fake stories and completely fabricated nonsense. He could use her for the Media attention, creating a little more drama for the fans. In retrospect it seemed unlikely, but still. In her region, people were quick to flirt, and often acted superficial. Those two factors combined had left her on edge about what to think of him, as Isabella was a rather careful person when it came about trusting others.
She could feel his presence brushing over her, and the honest caution he proceeded with. His attraction, and the fact that she could feel it, made her blush, and break away from eye contact, looking down at the table. He likely felt her relief once he focused, and thus pushed those emotions, his attraction and her embarrassment, away. She let him guide her within her mind, fingers digging into the table between them while this new world opened before her. Nodding in answer to his question, she sat back down, brows furrowed, and bewildered.
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His attraction to her was more like an ever-present cloud, that while obvious at their initial linking of minds, had been overshadowed by his reason for being in her head. It still lingering in the back of his mind though, the more primitive part with more primitive thoughts that he kept hidden and largely ignored, most of the time. He wasn't an intrusive presence, more like adjacent, as if she was in a house, the house being her mind, and he was speaking to her from just outside of it. He likely could've forced the door open, but he didn't, and had no intention of doing so.
The mind meld would probably give her a better idea of who he was than any conversation. There really wasn't much more to him than what she already knew: he cared for his partners, he'd trained to hone his power, and he wanted to take on Leon, a strong Trainer from a family line extending back to Indius. He was actually rather simple when it came to his character, but there were probably things he was keeping her from sensing. Were she inclined she could likely 'visit' his mental house and read whatever he was keeping from her and the world.
"I can't pull you out of your shell. You have to leave on your own." He said, silently communicating with her as more Chatter influencers opened their door, looked in with disappointment, and then frantically left. The noise hadn't even shaken his focus, and she'd recognize it as the kind of mental state a Champion needed to have while battling. The longer she took all this in, the more likely she'd figure out that the kind of battle focus Trainers used was definitely linked to accessing one's aura, and the powers that it granted.
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Somehow, this image of standing in her own mind house, with him standing at the doorway, manifested around her. She was fighting an inner battle, whether to trust him or not, and if continuing was actually a good idea. Bits and pieces of her mind would probably reach him, leaking out of her house. Distrust, Curiosity. Rejection, denial. A strong will to win. However, she was not able to answer him on this plane of existence, not yet at least. When she tried to open her mouth, nothing came out of it. This part of her… the one he had made her aware of just a few minutes ago, was trembling. Isabella took a deep breath, and while she still watched him suspiciously, tried to step outside of this house, fingers clutching at the door.
Just at that moment, a large and rather loud group of Team Yell grunts opened the door, and blew into their weird horns, trying to make fun of the Elders before fleeing the compartment. "LOL WHO EVEN PLAYS BINGO ANYMORE!"
Sikandar snarled in irritation at the useless old men, as Isabella slammed her inner door shut, forcefully kicking both of them out of her mind. A sudden sharp pain in her head would inform her that this hadn't been a good idea. The image was fading, and she found herself back on the seat of the train again. "Ugh… let me guess, this will be a lot of fun during the next few weeks?" She massaged her right temple.
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He didn't mind her distrust, as it was born of wise caution. "You'll do better when we're on the island. And all you really need to do to speak is imagine the words. It's like actually speaking, like when you think of what to say, before verbalizing it." He projected his mental words then, mouth unmoving as they reverbed through the space, slightly distorted. "You will eventually learn how to do this, too. It's how Legendary Pokémon communicate."
He switched back to physical speech then and stood. "Now if you'll excuse me...my Hitmonlee and I are going to beat some manners into some grunts." He stood, stepped through the illusion, and then out of the door before shouting, "Oi! Office Drone rejects! You're about to have your arse kicked by the Champion of Indius!"
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Down the hall she could likely hear a faint, "Oh Muk, mate, it's him!"
Sikandar set his Rotom Phone to livestreaming, and then called out his Hitmonlee. The sound of two more balls opening filled the air. "Smile." He told the grunts, before shouting "Double Kick!" Like a practiced professional, the Hitmonlee fired two powerful kicks at both dark typed partners Team Yell brought out, and their blubbering cries of 'We're sorree Mate, we wun do it agen!' faded into the distance as they ran. Sikandar high fived his Hitmonlee, and then recalled him.
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While Sikandar stormed off to teach those Grunts a lesson, Isabella had gotten up as well, going over to one of the windows on the other side of the train. This spot was usually reserved for luggage, which was why there were no seats in front of it. Opening the window, she could already taste the salty air on her lips. It wouldn't be long now, before they arrived at their destination. She had to giggle at both Sikandar and the grunt's words, but the sharp pain in her head stopped her from going after them. Standing, as well as the fresh air, helped though.
Sikandar came up behind her, not minding the cramped space, as long as she was occupying the other half of it. It also kept them both hidden from the eager Trainers sprinting past them, as they searched in vain for Sikandar. "Sorry about the headache…sudden breaks in a new link like that can hurt."
"It's fine…and it hasn't lessened my interest in learning your tricks, either." She said, smirking at him.
Their eyes locked as they had a bit of a moment, but then both humans jumped and turned as one of Sikandar's balls popped open. "I swear, that never happens." He said, barely keeping a straight face through the innuendo. He turned to the Kirlia, then. "What's up Raphael?"
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The small Kirlia shouted his name, and gesticulated wildly, but Sikandar just shrugged, unable to comprehend him. Young psychics were often hard to understand. After a while, his little arms reached up, towards Isabella, as she instinctually leaned down toward the Kirlia, letting him touch her forehead. The sharp pain faded slowly, and Isabella closed her eyes, glad to feel somewhat normal again. "Thanks, Raphy. I think I want to try this again once we find ourselves a calmer spot without thousands of people bursting in and out." When she looked over at him, she was already less pale than before. "Thanks for being patient with me."
He just chuckled. "You should've seen my first attempt. I lost my lunch after we Teleported. Master could manage to move himself through space with his power, but I still haven't quite gotten it down." He eyed his Kirlia then. "You have a Dawn Stone, right? Think I could have it so I can evolve him? My Watt trader didn't have one. Gallades are stronger the earlier you evolve them. Their attack power increases and focuses on growing. If they spend too long as a Kirlia they'll gain special attack power that won't be useful for them."
"Sure. Trade me some Watts, and it's all yours." Isabella said, and Sikandar smirked, giving her several thousand through their phones, before taking the Dawn Stone from her. "Here you go, Raphael." Upon sensing all this, Kandra popped out of her own ball, curious to see a Gallade, and also because his former Kirlia had a bit of a crush forming on Raphael, but Sikandar hadn't mentioned that he'd noticed it to anyone. Yet. He'd rather let them reach a state of intimacy naturally. She cheered, as Raphael became a Gallade, which caught some attention as the light flashed through the train. Sikandar and Isabella finally had to satisfy their fans, most of whom were younger kids, by giving them advice and autographs until the train stopped.
They had some time before the train rolled to a stop, and the PA rang. "Now arriving in Hulbury City. Next stop, Wedgehurst Station. Please disembark within the next five minutes." Sikandar got his crap together quickly after hearing they had a time limit, and he kept his hood up as they left the train. Nobody was expecting the Champion challengers in this city yet, as the other two were going the long way, though the crowd from the train was still hot on their heels. "Hmm." He said, pausing and looking at the Gym. "We might as well challenge it while we're here, no? We both have Thwackey...and our teams should be strong enough. Lunch tastes better after a win anyways."
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"Yeah, let's get a Badge. I really want to see these teams of ours in action." She put on sunglasses, but her red curly hair, as well as the rather unique tattoos on her arm, would probably give away who she was anyway. But, just as Sikandar had guessed, no one really paid them any mind as they made their way towards the gym.
Upon entering, a gym leader greeted them. It was not Nessa, though. "Ah, look who finally decided to show up." Misty, from the Kanto region, smiled at them. Isabella smirked, as it was rumored Nessa had a thing for redheads, and now that Sonia was taken, it seemed she may have moved on to another. Although Misty was reportedly taken too, by a charming Gym Leader from the Orange Islands. "Y'all better be prepared, because Nessa and I are going to beat you up!" Without waiting for their answer, she marched towards another door, skipping the puzzle and heading straight towards the arena. A minute later, a loud announcement was cast throughout the city via speakers.
"Attention, Pokéfans. Champions Sikandar and Isabella have arrived to Battle for the Water Badge. Bring your tickets, head over to your seats, and to our viewers at home: Don't forget to turn on Galar TV one!"
"So much for no one knowing where we are." Isabella mentioned with a sarcastic tone in her voice. She cracked her knuckles lightly. "I wanna beat the Muk out of them."
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The annoying water pipe puzzle powered on as the media did. "It's fine, they were going to find out anyway." Sikandar answered her. Warm-up Trainers lined the puzzle, some of them just walking through the gouts of water fearlessly, holding their own as they took their spots.
"Oh look." Sikandar said, smirking. "Free experience, all lined up for us." The puzzle was naturally even more of a PITA with two people. They had to help each other along, and win, but they made short work of it. As Kuranku poked the last unfortunate water type to get in her way, she started glowing, and Sikandar grinned. Kuranku boomed on her new drum excitedly, and he gave her scritches, before leading her to the stairs and promising her a chance to use her new power. He was glad both Kuranku and Carey were so eager to evolve, but that was different for every Pokémon. So far though, those in Galar seemed determined to get stronger as fast as possible, like his Hitmonlee and Corvisquire.
Sikandar kept her out as he strode onto the pitch after waiting for her evolution to finish, and the crowd roared when she greeted them, and beat her chest loudly. He heard the announcers speaking as the four of them took their places. "This makes Sikandar the first one to fully evolve his starter out of the Champion quartet!"
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"Hold on now, Ty we haven't seen Isabella's either. After those warm-up Trainers he might've evolved too. If not, I'd bet money he's close! All the Trainers have taken their spots. Let's see who they bring out!"
"I don't typically approve of Trainers skipping Milo just to reach me, but I'm bored, and Misty here was eager." Nessa said, smiling. Sikandar found his focus drawn in multiple directions, as the female Galarian Gym Uniforms left little to the imagination on adults. Smitten as he was with Isabella, Nessa's body was just as fine as his Italia crush's, as expected of a model, and Misty…Misty was not his type, but he could appreciate the hard work she'd clearly put into staying fit. "Your challenge ends here! Go! Milotic!" "You too Starmie!" Misty added.
Sikandar aimed his Rillaboom at the stronger, defense heavy water type, and he left a choice for Isabella, either help him take out the Milotic with a follow-up attack and take a hit from Starmie, or take out the Starmie, likely in one hit. Misty was also a traditionally second Gym Leader, and their partners never were very strong. Then again, he'd seen very few Starmie, so it was hard to tell.
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Carey had in fact evolved only one battle after Sikandar's Rillaboom, and thus came into the battle fully evolved as well. "Usually, it's not my style to send them freshly evolved into Battle but… I think we'll manage." Her Pokémon added to the music of Kuranku's drums, both of them creating a beat that filled the whole stadium, and thus making their audience cheer even louder.
Kuranku's attack hit hard, almost taking out the Milotic in one fell swoop. Before Isabella's Pokémon could assist, Nessa's Water Type managed to push one skill out which caught the Challenger's by surprise with how fast it was charged and fired off. "Freeze them with Blizzard!" The model called out, hitting both grass types where it hurt. While both of them took a lot of damage from that, Carey's feet got frozen to the ground, making it impossible to move for him.
"Return the favor and help them dance to our beat!" Was the only command Isabella gave, but her Pokémon understood, and created a storm of razor-sharp leaves. The damage was enough to scrape off the last remaining stamina of Nessa's Milotic, as well as weaken the Starmie just so that Misty had to throw out a Potion, and thus losing one round to attack. Surely not the strongest move of the now huge drummer Pokémon, yet perfect for working together with Sikandar's starter.
"Whooooooa what a start! Look at these two working together!" Ty's voice boomed through the speaker, while both Nessa and Misty were now looking rather grim after taking such a blow right after the first round. "I know right? Then again, Isabella's Rillaboom is now stuck on the ground. I wonder if this will turn the tables for them?"
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The pair of defense heavy plant apes had taken the Blizzard full force and managed to survive. Sikandar took the chance to heal Kuranku as well, before Misty's Starmie launched a Rapid Spin. "Catch it!" He shouted, and Kuranku did so. "Now, Knock Off!" Dark energy surrounded her sticks, and with two swift beats, the psychic starfish was unconscious.
The battle paused then, as the announcers whooped. "TAKEN DOWN AT THE WORD GO!" Ty shouted, "The Battle's barely lasted a minute and both Gym Leaders are already on the back foot! These two have clearly been training hard, and their coordination is a lot better than the other pair's was in Turffield. Let's see who Nessa and Misty send out next!"
"No more playing!" Nessa said, drawing her ball. She didn't call its occupant out though, instead choosing to Gigantamax it right there. "Drednaw! Gigantamax!"
While Carey had a moment to free himself, Sikandar glanced at his partner. "I'll handle this, you handle Misty. Leon gave me a... special Grookey." He'd hoped to keep her secret a while longer, but the mischievous Kuranku, who had one hundred percent stolen some Max Soup from her mom and her mom's Trainer, who'd been Gloria, now revealed her own Gigantamax form. Misty called out a Golduck as the two titans faced off, and Nessa's went first. "G Max Stonesurge!"
A deluge of water and rock hit Kuranku, but her new massive leafy arms blocked most of it. Rain began to cover the field in the aftermath of the massive attack. Isabella had the next move, followed by Misty's, before the inevitable drum solo of death would counter her Drednaw, and likely end her in one hit.
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For a moment, Isabella considered switching out her Rillaboom, but from a tactical viewpoint, she wanted to keep her other Pokémon a secret for as long as possible, and thus, let Carey see this through to the end. Her Pokémon ate a berry, which healed him up just enough to take on the Golduck Misty had brought out.
"You heard him, Carey. Make sure Kuranku doesn't get disturbed!" Her Pokémon excitedly created a fresh beat, one to spur on himself as well as the Pokémon he swore to impress. Misty's Golduck was a bit faster though, and the Cerulean Gym Leader wasn't holding back anymore. "Golduck, Disable the Dynamaxed one's Move!" Her Golduck aimed its attack to block off Kuranku's Drum Beating, but Carey jumped in its way, taking the hit for her.
"Ha! I think we can manage without Razor Leaf for a bit, right Carey? Show them what a real beating looks like!" Her Rillaboom increased the pace on his drums, which let huge tendrils burst out from the ground, smashing Golduck into the wall behind it. The seats of a few fans were shaking a little as the attack took out their enemy with a critical hit.
The masses were already ecstatic, but the true highlight of the battle was about to happen. All cameras were now focused on Kuranku.
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Kuranku definitely noticed Carey's actions, though by this point the G Move was coming regardless. She also had two moves that could perform this special Max Attack, but she appreciated the gesture regardless, and then watched, thoroughly impressed, as the Rillaboi sent his opponent, a Pokémon Misty had possessed for years now, sailing like a noob past her Trainer with the speed of a bullet.
This was a common theme, with Champions. When people said they blew away the competition, they were literal in describing the event.
The Drednaw knew the counter was coming, and seemed to grimace, as Kuranku raised all six of her massive sticks, and unleashed Hell. The shields around the field flared, as supersonic and potentially damaging waves of sound smashed into them, and that wasn't even the main attack. The entire stadium shook, as the vines began growing, burrowing through the field only to then rise, and spear the rock turtle with super effective damage to his quadruple weakness.
Drednaw exploded with the sight of a failing Dynamax, and in that light, Nessa glanced at Misty, who nodded. They hadn't intended a full three on three. Not for a second Gym, but these two were clearly ready judging by their belts and had become Champions for a reason. Misty recalled her fainted psychic duck, and reached into her bag for a third ball, an old friend she'd convinced to travel with her for a while, after seeing her again in the Orange Isles. "Lapras, sweetie! Your turn! Gigantamax!"
Both Kuranku and Sikandar's eyes widened, and then narrowed. The Indius Champion was smirking, hands in his pockets, looking entirely too calm. Then, the theme used for intense battles began playing, and the Trainer sporting the number 420 on his Galarian clothes began bopping his head to the beat. Kuranku did the same, as she learned upon hearing it for the first time, that this was her jam.
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Beats to the sound of the now chanting crowd thundered as the Drum Beating continued and hammered the Lapras hard. However, thanks to level, she still hung on. Nessa brought out a third of her own, a Golisopod, that eyed Carey with an evil glint in its beady buggy eye. The Golisopod struck before the Lapras, hitting Kuranku with a First Impression that brought her to about half. Without that clutch Potion, she would've gone down.
Then, the Lapras struck, and G max Resonance nearly fainted Kuranku, but she held on, so her Trainer wouldn't worry. Sikandar actually felt his heart lurch, and emanated his feelings towards her, which only emboldened her for another, desperate counter. But first, Carey got to strike, with the backdrop of a Rillaboom ready to Rock poised behind him.
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The Lapras surprised both challengers, as they were quite sure they would win their badge after defeating the four previous Pokémon. Even Gabby and Ty were speechless for a moment, as it was exceptionally rare to see more than two Dynamaxed Pokémon in one battle. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TY! DO YOU SEE THAT!? DO YOU!?" … "Stop-Shaking-Me-I-Can't-"
Everything on this battlefield was happening way too fast, and the Champions didn't have much time to ponder their next moves. As Kuranku was still in her Dynamaxed form, it was only natural for her to take on the Lapras. But… fighting against a bug as well as an ice type surely meant trouble. And Isabella knew for a fact that Golisopod didn't care about being hit with a plant attack or two. On a whim, she removed her Rillaboom from the battlefield, and brought out Felice, the former Yamper who had evolved into a Boltund at some point. "Focus on dodging, get the bug's attention and as soon as you can, smash it with a Thunderbolt!"
Speed was Felice's specialty, a reflection of Isabella's special training, and the doggo blazed through the stadium with electric speed. "WE HAVE ANOTHER POKEMON REVEAL! Apparently, Isabella has caught herself a Boltund!" Gabby cried into the microphone, and fans were taking pictures for their Chatter statuses.
Isabella didn't really care that they knew, and actually hoped their rivals would prepare a counter for Boltund. She already planned to replace this Pokémon sooner or later, as Felice seemed the type to prefer lounging around with her family in Italia, to a Champion's life of battling all the time. But for now, Felice would have the option to shine. And Kuranku would likely catch the attention of everyone again in just a few seconds, and therefore create an opening.
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The drumming continued, and hammered the Lapras, as Misty looked on, shocked and disappointed. The vines gave Felice a perfect opening, as they surged around the Golisopod, blocking its vision but doing no damage, there was a Bolthund sized hole right by its abdomen, and the fast physical attacking hound could hit critically with a Spark or Volt Tackle. Golisopod was quite weak to electricity, and OHKO or not, the shock of the attack would send it back into its ball and end the match regardless.
The Golisopod was sent sailing into vines that then began decaying, as the Gigantamax form faded, and the tired female Rillaboom panted, but still stayed standing. Sikandar recalled her and fed a berry or four into the ball as well, before walking towards his partner for the high five she'd earned. Gabby and Ty, for their part, were losing their minds. "THREE GIGANTAMAXED POKEMON! TWO TAKEN DOWN BY THE SAME RILLABOOM! AND HE GOT THAT GROOKEY A FEW DAYS AGO!"
"Yes, Ty, we know." Gabby said, amused, "Clearly these two made themselves the team to watch out for, because the match at Turffield did not go nearly as smoothly. Both Champions tried Dynamaxing at once, and the resulting chaos led them to multiple attacks from their opponents that fainted Mikolaj's Centiskorch. They were able to pull out a win in their second try today, but Mikolaj's new Raboot did much of the heavy lifting, and eventually managed to work in tandem with Zabrina to clinch the win. If you wanted a measurable comparison between these teams, Chatter, you just got one. A double knockout, that only happened because of the new but obvious love between Trainer and Pokémon! Let's put that moment up on the screen again."
And again, on the stadium screens, Kuranku was shown taking a G Move to the face and toughing it out. The Rotom Drone had also captured Sikandar's expression, and Chatter exploded with the image. They'd definitely earned some new fans with this flashy display.
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Just about when they announced their win, Isabella jumped up several times, and ended up high and low fiving Sikandar multiple times, which looked to the fans like they had a winning ritual. Her Rillaboom freed itself from its Pokéball, picking up Kuranku as soon as she returned to her base form to spin her around happily. Another moment which would become a fan favorite. Felice was again sporting her now much longer mohawk, and panting happily, just happy that her humans were so happy. When they were happy, she got treats, she had quickly learned.
After all of the Pokémon were resting in their Pokéballs again, the Trainers met in the middle of the arena again. "Well…" Misty said. "I guess little old me got a little too cocky when I met you two in the entrance area. I couldn't have imagined you got a team this strong in just a few days…" Nessa nodded, agreeing. "And you just met as well, while Misty and I have known each other for years now. You two really deserve this Badge. Which one of you will collect them?"
"I have ours." Sikandar said, stepping up. He took the badge and placed it in the thicker-than-normal gold circle that acted as the badge case for Galar. Leon had handed it to him, and Sikandar briefly wondered if he'd arranged the teams like this on purpose. He popped Nessa's badge in and held it up for the crowd. They went wild again and began chanting something. It took him longer than it should have to realize what it was. Evidently, Sikabelle had been the chosen moniker for the duo, and their shippers.
He glanced her way as the ship chanting became more obvious, and just winked.
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Once the Sikabelle chants began, and Isabella figured out what the heck they meant, she facepalmed. Which was the exact state Sikandar found her in once he glanced at her. Isabella found the uniforms horrible and was glad to get out of hers after leaving the arena. Nessa and Misty had accompanied them to the exit, the latter enjoying how Isabella seemed annoyed with their shipping name, which gave Misty another idea.
"After the great Battle we just had, I really have to say I am impressed by you guys. Let me give you a little something." She handed over two coupons to Sikandar. "The Lapras Lagoon is one of the finest places to dine out here. Do enjoy your visit~" With that, Misty turned around, and walked towards the direction of the backstage area, followed closely by Nessa. "Mistyyy you can't just waltz into my flat like you own the place…!"
Isabella sighed. "Welp, we might as well use those coupons. Would you mind if we get to the Pokémon Center first? I really want to heal up my friends... and also take a shower." The two of them hadn't had a chance to clean themselves since they came here. Considering their efforts in the Wild Area, as well as the multiple battles, both of them were in dire need of a shower. "I believe there is a room permanently booked for each of us in the VIP area. How about we meet back there at the lounge at… uuuh… six?"
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Pokémon Centers didn't really do 'VIP', but they did have rooms for Trainers, which were free, like the healthcare for Pokémon. "I could do with a shower." Sikandar said, putting the tickets away in the Key Items pocket. Six works. I'll see you then." He dashed off then, and by the time she arrived at the Center, his partners were already healing. Or rather, just Kuranku was, since she was the only one who'd battled.
Ajagar was the one he focused on the most, for now, since the tiny Dreepy was high leveled, and prone to not listening. That wouldn't be a problem once they were friendly enough, had battled enough, but one couldn't just grind a relationship like one could with levels. Entertaining the ghostly dragon missile until dinner took up most of Sikandar's time, with Bandar watching him, while their Trainer showered.
When he emerged he recalled his partners, and headed out, freshly shaved, around his neck at least, clean and with fresh clothes too. He wore what he'd brought from Indius while his new Galar clothes were in the wash, and headed for the restaurant. He got there first, but wasn't entirely surprised. Men tended to get done with things faster than women, especially when it came to cleaning oneself. There was simply less to do, most of the time. He got them a table by a window, and waited. There were fans of course, but in an establishment as nice as this one, they were rather courteous, and he had no problem turning on the charm. They gave him TMs in exchange for autographs, and there was one TR in particular he was glad to have. Kuranku would make good use of it, until he had a ground type.
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At first, the reason Isabella needed longer than him was her long, curly hair, which was a mess since the wild area, and painful to detangle. Naturally, her Pokémon moved around freely in her room as well while she took her shower. She got out of her room at the perfect time, and had put her friends back into their Pokéballs. Isabella would have been only slightly behind him, but a bunch of Team Yell members stopped her, and the five battles she had to give them attracted more and more fans, who demanded autographs and selfies with her.
Throughout her time as a Champion, Isabella had been coached on how to interact with fans, as this had always been hard for her. She couldn't connect to people she didn't know, and it took her a bit more time to actually get a feeling for others, and form a connection. The exception being Pokémon. Even as a little girl, communicating and interacting with them had felt easier, more natural to her. Thanks to Sikandar, she could now guess why.
When she finally arrived at the restaurant, fifteen minutes late, she looked exhausted. Chatter was full of Selfies showing her with ecstatic fans. Her expression on those pictures was always the same: a well studied fake smile, not quite reaching her eyes. The fans were happy though, and once she entered the restaurant in her new dress, hair pinned up to a knot, she basically fell onto the seat across from him. "I am so sorry. Team Yell, as well as some fans, blocked the way. I really didn't want to leave you waiting all this time."
She noticed his clothes then, looking completely foreign to her. "Oh, is that what you would usually wear back home?" The style looked both comfy and elegant, and she found it fit him a little better than the hoodie he had been wearing so far.
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The hoodie was warmer, and in this region of freezing rain and freezing snow, he welcomed it. But for an indoor meal he chose the only other outfit he had. "More or less. You're looking fine despite having so many Battles in a row. I've been watching Chatter blow up, and it's been amusing. Apparently the restaurant knows our favorite foods, so I had them put in a while ago. We'll need to eat quickly...Gabby and Ty will be here soon and I've done enough interviews, I think."
Thankfully their food arrived quickly, and Sikandar's Dreepy kept manifesting for little bites throughout their meal, before vanishing completely as only ghost types could. He bothered Isabella for food too, and he seemed to like her more as they ate.
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Just when he mentioned ordering their food, a waiter came by, and put down both their meals, as well as their drinks. "Uuuuh, Lasagna? I thought we'd be served seafood here. I'm not gonna complain, though." The lasagna looked and tasted as though they'd imported it from Italia.
Chatter kept blowing up while they ate, and the personnel had to clear the restaurant of more and more fans during their time here. It wasn't exactly a relaxing dinner, but at least their food tasted amazing.
"I'm guessing you handed over those coupons already?" She asked, after finishing her meal. "It's getting kind of… crowded in this city. I wouldn't mind if we mysteriously disappeared into nowhere. I could ask my Pokémon to cast some illusions again, making it appear like we run back to Motostoke, while we actually hop into a taxi over to the island."
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"I have it covered. We'll need to run, but we should be able to reach the taxi without too much...interference." He said, eyeing the ravenous crowd of mostly young Lasses.
"SIKABELLE FOR LYFE OHEMGEEEEE!" One of them squealed, before being removed by the Indeedee at the front with a harmless Psychic that carried her outside. He didn't seem too bothered by the crowd, and most of the rowdy ones were swiftly booted, with the other patrons, who were also fans, constantly uttering 'Good heavens' every few minutes. They too were kept from the Champions, but the upper crust crowd filling the majority of the restaurant seemed interested in the pair, even if the 'foreign one' hadn't dressed to impress, in their self important opinion.
Sikandar could hear their thoughts, and he didn't need three guesses to know who the 'foreigner' in the room was, as he could tell these people knew who Isabella was, and not him. He didn't blame the people though, his home was on the other side of the world, and a beauty like Isabella's in Italia and Europa by extension was guaranteed to attract attention. Even in Galar, apparently, linked as it was with Indius, the 'rich elite' still considered people born with his skin tone to be foreign. The downside to being psychic in a restaurant full of blue bloods was being able to know they were being racist, but most of them kept it internalized, at least. He couldn't fault people for their inner thoughts. Even if they still hurt.
It became more and more obvious that the staff hadn't been expecting them so soon, and Sikandar left a generous tip as he finished his meal, and stood. Kandra popped free of her ball, and Raphael joined her a second later, as the two shyly greeted each other, Sikandar held out his hand to Isabella. "Ready?"
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Isabella kept apologizing to both the staff and the other patrons. The whole situation was so stupid. She had simply wanted to eat something, and as the situation escalated more and more, her urge to run only increased.
She felt instant relief when Sikandar stood, and therefore signaled to her that he was of the same opinion: it was time to move. "Seems like those two want to take over hiding us from the crowd." Just as she said that out loud, some fake images of them, created by their Pokémon working together, ran through the side door and attracted all of their fan's attention. Their real selves however, were well hidden.
Just then, Sikandar held out his hand to her. She looked at him for a few seconds, as if she was trying to make up her mind about something, before she took it. When she actually did, it felt more like another high five, although their hands did stay together. "Yeah, let's roll."
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"Teleport." He said to Raphael, who bamfed all of them but Kandra. Thankfully, she knew how to use the move too, and would end up at the same Center they did. She was only a few seconds behind. They peaked out the door then, and saw the fairly large crowd by the restaurant, being egged on by Team Yell. "I'm getting bloody sick of them..." Sikandar growled.
Hand still firmly holding hers, as he'd take any excuse for physical contact, he waited until the mob moved to follow the illusions further into the city. Apparently they were on to their illusion game, because this time, someone caught up to them, and confirmed they were being diverted.
He brought her running rather quickly to the Corviknight taxi, and leapt into the car, pulling her along as they landed, and panted. They had a bit of a moment as he realized how close they were now, and he'd still not released her hand, though he would if she pulled it away. Still entranced by her eyes, he spoke to the waiting cabby. "The Isle of Armor, please."
"Roight mate. Isle'o'armour, here we come. Yip yip, ye feathered menace!"
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The Corviknight taxi wasn't exactly spacey, and as they had come to a stop rather quickly, stood together quite close for a minute. Isabella needed a moment to regain her breath, and just when she did, she realized their situation as well. For a second, their eyes locked. The cabby hadn't noticed what was going on back there, or bothered to check who his guests were.
She cleared her throat and let go of his hand then, took a step back and did her best to find the seat on the opposite side of the car interesting. Shortly after Sikandar named their destination, the Corviknight pulled the taxi into the air. "Oi, ye'll wonna sit down, mate. We got qoite the windy ride ahead of us! Bahckle up!"
Isabella did as she was told, sat down and fastened her seatbelt. The cabin was shaking a lot once they flew over the sea, so following the cabby's advice was probably a good idea. Talking seemed impossible, as the wind was loud. She turned her gaze to the sky, the stars, and the full moon which barely lit up their small sitting space. Her hand, the one which he had held when they made their escape, was still warm. She kneaded it with her other hand, while waiting to arrive at their destination.