Dom! Dom!” A stream of water flooded my senses and my body as I felt someone pick me up, not hesitating to shoot more water.

“COUGH, HACK.” I sat up after what felt like an eternity of whatever that water was going down my throat. I looked around to see who had done all this and saw Barry's Floatzel holding me.

“I was worried you wouldn’t wake up…” I looked beside me and saw Cynthia, who had seemingly commanded Barry's Pokémon. “Floatzel, you can set him down now.”

“Where… where is Barry? He’s not the type to just leave,” I asked as I was set down, looking around to find Barry still on the floor… snoring?

“My Pokémon were knocked out, so I used his,” she said as she returned the Floatzel to its ball and walked toward me. “Excellent job at stopping Dialga, I might add, though it’s a shame you didn’t catch him… but I wasn’t conscious to see the rest, so I shouldn’t judge.”

“Your um…” I thought about the fact that I had just seen him float away, and just before that, he spoke perfect English. That whole scene with Arceus had my brain in a million pieces.

“You’re welcome? Your head must be hurting from all that temporal energy around. How you didn’t faint as well is beyond me…” Cynthia observed my belt, where every single Pokéball was faintly glowing red, meaning they were all tuckered out.

Cynthia unlatched a Luxury Ball from her belt, the Pokéball glimmering with plenty of care and replacements, as it shot out a red energy, releasing a Garchomp scarred on its left eye.

“Fly these two boys down to the Pokémon Center, and inform them Team Galactic has been dealt with. I want to stay up here to investigate some things.”

“She’s not going to believe me if I tell her… right?”

“Cynthia, I think I ac—” Garchomp jumped in front of me, snatched me in his arms, and threw me onto his back before grabbing Barry and quickly zooming off down the mountain.

“Thanks for going slow, Garchomp.” He tilted his head at me and nodded, speeding up a bit to mess with me with a sly grin. “I don’t feel particularly well, actually. I think that abundance of energy up there drained me… especially that experience.” Garchomp looked at me again, seemingly interested in what I was rambling about.

“Ah, j-just ignore me! I can’t think straight right now,” I said as I adjusted myself on his back, holding on to the fin as I saw Hearthome City down below. “This is a fine place to stop. I’ll explain the situation and finally relax.”

People stared as Garchomp gracefully landed right in front of the center, a few bystanders even trying to help me off and carry Barry to a stretcher.

“You did it! good job Dom!” Nurse joy cheered

“Carefully, He's a hero!” “Give him some space before the boy faints!” “Mommy! Isn't that Miss Cynthia's pokemon?”

Garchomp picks me up and carries me to the medical side of the building, even patting my head with his arm before walking off

After everything settles down Nurse Joy comes into my room, setting down some hot soup and an extra blanket

“You seem quiet, the last time you were here you were talking up a storm with the whole lobby, trying to find a battle opponent…”

I roll onto my back and sit up with a small groan and a bad taste in my mouth “thank you…” I take the bowl of soup onto my tray above my chest and straighten my aching spine for a proper posture

“It really isn't your fault you know, Barry's only real injury is a couple of razor leaves to the chest… you trusted him and battled Dialga, and won no less.”

I started with the vegetables of the soup and ate the carrots at the bottom, which I would be lying if I said I enjoyed. But sometimes you have to just get it over with.

“Is my team okay?” The red light of the signs outside made my meal look like a dreary red color, making those damn memories come back. this whole day has been just a reminder of when-

“...And to sum it all up, your pokemon need a few days rest for injuries or stress relief, I can't in good conscious let you overwork your pokemon again”

I finished with the vegetables and got to the delectable meats, the best part. You never want to even think of the carrots when you get here, out of sight and out of mind.

“I understand, I need a break anyways, a big break, I'll take a nap and figure out something to do.”

I slurp down the broth, I'm done.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Here's the remote then.” She hands over the TV remote for the screen in front of me, which has buttons for Pokeflicks+,the newest streaming service

“I would go and get that poketch checked out, it's full of wear and tear from that fight I think.” She takes the bowl with her and before she goes out of sight she softly yells to her Chansey “go see if Doms pokemon are sleeping okay, I'll be right there!”

The next day starts Like all the other ones… the only difference being I'm in pretty bad pain, but since there's the whole day to waste. The whole day is planned out in my head and it'll go fine

I got myself up and put on a whole new set of clothes before checking out of the pokemon center to explore the city I never really had time to explore.

“Warm and kind…” I told myself, that's the slogan that's all over TV In sinnoh. It's almost like it's trying to be a tourist spot, which is the exact opposite vibe this city gives

In Hearthome city, there might be too many things to do, there's the Contest Hall, Amity Square, gym… “There! That's where I need to go!” I circle on the map the location of the nearest poketch repair shop.

I discreetly follow the foot traffic of other city folk. And as I do a girl runs up in front of me and pulls me out of the crowd flow I was in, I couldn't comprehend “Hey! Hey! Careful there!” I try to warn her incase this was all an accident

She lightly pulls me out of the foot traffic and pouts at me. “You were on the news right?” I was? Of course I was… how do I keep forgetting I helped save the whole region?

“Yes, I was. Do you need an autograph or something? Always happy to give one” I give a thumbs up to maybe reassure her that it's okay to just plainly ask people instead of kicking.

“I heard you battled team Galactic AND Dialga all at the same time! Does that mean you can help me with my pokemon?” She put her arms behind her back and started to move up and down from the balls of her feet, just waiting for me to say yes.

I looked across the street so we could cross, there's never any cars so we both quickly passed a ways down the street until we hit the relatively empty sidewalk

“I guess I could, but if it's a battle you need then no can do, because my pokemon are recovering for a few more days.” I say discreetly with hands in my pocket while leaning against a streetlight pole

She kicks the ground in a semi-pouting motion “Oh… but I really need my Mimikyu and Baxcalibur to be ready and your trainer page said you were open to train!

“Wait what? Baxcalibur? That's a strong pokemon for a kid with no license to have… Whatever, what's so wrong with them?”

“Baxy won't do anything anymore and we have a contest tomorrow that will earn me my official trainer license, same thing with my Miku as well…”

This is exactly what the odd dream with that god was talking about… pokemon that grow uninterested and disobey. Laxity it was called.

“Lead me to em then” I said bluntly, staring at the girl

“Yay! I knew I could trust you.” She pulled on my arm and led me to her decently sized house, the front door leading me to a scene with her Baxcalibur napping in the corner on its side.

“This is Baxy! And Miku ummm… I think she only comes out at night actually” She takes off her shoes and I followed her lead and took mine off as well.

“Are your parents not home? Wait, what's your name even?” I stand by the couch to wait for her to invite me to sit down.

“Mom and Dad went to Veilstone city to play at the casino before it closes because of something about Voltorbs blah blah… And my name is Aveline.

“Baxy! We have a guest!” The Baxcalibur opens one of its eyes and grunts, forcing itself to sit up and yawn.

“Hmm.. This Baxcalibur seems a bit out of shape… How long has he been doing this?” I moved towards Baxy but slower than I would my own pokemon.

“A week now, and Miku has been running from me as well…” She walks around to the kitchen and gets herself Pokemons version of an ice cream bowl. “Miku! Baxy! I have your treats!

I observed how the Baxcalibur suddenly jumped up and went to the kitchen while subtly rumbling the whole house. And the Mimikyu spawns from the shadow in the corner, in that subtly creepy black and white Pikachu cosplay.

She raises both of the ice cream bowls above her head “Ah ah ah!” If you want it we need to go outside and let this kind man help you train! Both of the pokemon look at me and rush outside, Baxcalibur in particular running like it's trying to destroy the whole city.

“Alright! Baxy and Miku! You both have that contest tomorrow, correct?” They both furiously nod, eager to listen to me.

“Wait! How are they listening so well? They won't even come to me if they're hungry…” she looks at me and tries to see if I somehow have some kind of mind control device on me.

“I collected all 8 badges, so that for some reason makes pokemon listen to me better. I can't even explain it myself…”

I walk up to the Baxcalibur and Mimikyu and put my hands on both of their heads and start to pat them “when we finish this how about I'll buy the both of you poffins? I heard they help with contests and the like.”

The training goes surprisingly well, Baxy already lost that small chubbiness he had and Mikus' shadows seem to be almost overflowing from under her. And before I even know it, it's already 5pm and both pokemon are collapsed on the ground from exhaustion

“Woah! You did great, Dom! How did Baxy already lose that weight?”Aveline kneels beside Baxy and rubs his stomach, dropping a treat down his maw.

“I'm going to go give my poketch to the shop down the block, and I'll come back with poffins for them. I actually know somebody that works there.”

I head off towards my original objective, not even letting the appealing signs and wavering traffic distract me from getting to my goal.

I enter the poketch shop and glance around at the newest models, not even recognizing them compared to my current one.

“Ah, welcome! Are you considering trying our brand new poketch 16 pro? My Kirlia sure seems to like it!”

A Kirlia enters the scene, spinning with the shiny new poketch on its arm. “Kirrrrrliiiia!” It says as it takes off the watch and puts it in my right hand

“Just cause of that, I think I'll take it” I walk up to the counter and set the poketch down with a soft thud

“Great! That'll be 4000 poke dollars! With the warranty that would be 4125!”

I put a hand to my chin and scratched in thought “without a warranty is fine, I'll probably rarely be here.”

“It applies to all locations around sinnoh!”

“Fine then” I give her my trainer card filled with funds from when I beat the 8th gym leader, which I don't even remember the name of.

“Aaaaaand… it's yours! Brand new model!”

“I appreciate doing service, I would really give your Kirlia a raise for that hard work”

I walk out to the street and look out at the setting sky, almost

like it's telling me to get back and check on my pokemon. “Shouldn't take too long to set this up, I should get back fast anyways”