CHAPTER 45
Our cafeteria workers had long gone home for the day, so I let people order what they wanted from places in town. The tables in the gym's dining hall were now full of everything from okonomiyaki to plates of sushi and more.
All of the main team, gym trainers and PR staffers alike, were in attendance to welcome the new arrivals. Even Hazel was here. He had plans to stay at his sister's place for the night, but he traveled back on his Dodrio to have dinner with us.
Speaking of the new arrivals, everyone had moved into the staff apartments already. Hana joined Yurie on the third floor. Luca and Felix joined Hazel on the fourth floor. As for Will, he picked a room for himself on the ground floor.
He was very insistent on it, too, even when I pointed out that the ones on the ground level were a bit smaller due to the lobby, storage, and communal areas. He didn't even want to look at the rooms on higher floors like everyone else. That was how dead set he was.
After a brief round of self-introductions… the party began in earnest. Groups instantly formed.
In one corner, there was what I called the Gardening Club. Our resident Grass Specialists — Neil, Hana, and dad — were talking so loudly that I could hear them from halfway across the room.
"Congratulations on winning the Silver Conference this year! When are you going to challenge the Elite Four?" Neil asked with a curious glint in his eyes.
Compared to him, Hana didn't seem enthusiastic at all. "Probably next year. I'm not that excited about it, but I do want to use the opportunity before it expires. After that, I'm retiring as an active trainer."
"If you'd like any training advice, I'll be around," Dad offered. Hana perked up a bit.
"Thank you, Mr. Watanuki. I may take you up on your offer."
"You'll do great!" Neil boomed, and he clapped his hands together. Both dad and Hana jumped a bit. "Now enough boring talk. Hana, wait until you see the Cottonee and Morelull lines in person…"
In another corner, the members of the PR team had gotten together.
"It's so nice to meet you in person, Luca!" Kari greeted. She shared an energetic handshake with the other boy. Our gym's newest social media influencer still had his Igglybuff Egg strapped to his chest.
"Same here," Luca beamed. "You're in charge of the Cherrygrove Gym's social media pages, right? I love all the highlight reels you've made. Fits the Fairy aesthetic to a T."
"Half the credit goes to my brother," Kari laughed, nudging Yulian's arm with her elbow. "He makes all the pretty graphics and stuff."
"I don't actually do that much," Yulian said with a modest shake of his head. "Anyway, welcome to the team."
Luca's grin grew even wider. "Thanks for having me! And thank you for the recommendation. I heard it from Arin…"
Some ways off, Murata was talking to Felix.
"My wife and kids are huge fans of yours. We've got recordings at home of your Contest performances in Hoenn and Sinnoh."
"Really? I can't believe I have fans even here in Indigo…"
The largest group in the room consisted of Yurie, Hazel, Souta, and Haru. They were all crowded around Will. Why?
It was because the human psychic was busy entertaining them with frivolous displays of his powers.
"Ooh…!" Haru breathed out loud in amazement as Will waved a hand, effortlessly floating pieces of sushi one after another into Hazel's waiting mouth. Hazel happily chomped on them and gave a thumbs up.
With his other hand, Will simultaneously teleported meat skewers onto Souta's empty plate in the shape of a castle and refilled Haru's glass of milk.
Yurie turned back to look at me. Her deadpan expression said everything: can you believe these guys?
I nearly snorted with laughter as I passed by.
"Don't play with your food," I called over my shoulder.
"My dearest apologies, Arin!" Will called right back in a singsong voice, but he wasn't apologetic at all. He'd been the fastest between the new hires to drop the use of a formal title with me.
I glanced down when a pitcher rose into the air and refilled the glass of water in my hand. My gaze then traveled over to Will, but he only grinned at me before turning away to answer questions.
"Are your psychic abilities as strong as Leader Sabrina's?"
"Heavens, no, but I endeavor to surpass her someday."
I shook my head and walked off as soon as my glass was full again. Nice but odd fellow. I shuffled off to an empty seat nearby and sat down, pulling out my phone. This was a party, but I still needed to go through my schedule for the next day.
In the morning, I had a workout session with Chuck. He'd sent me near indecipherable messages earlier reminding me about our promise to train together. I'd spent at least five minutes trying to make heads and tails of the typo-filled texts.
Once I got back, I had to introduce the new staff to the gym Pokemon, give starting lectures to them, and then teach at the Gym.
Yes, I was holding my first ever public class at the Cherrygrove Gym. It was going to be a practical one where I helped trainers and their Pokemon learn basic Fairy type moves. Felix planned on attending even though I told him I could offer private lessons.
Online class registration had ended earlier today. Spots filled up within mere minutes. Now, I just needed to go over my notes for tomorrow—
Bzzt.
Or not.
I glanced down at my vibrating phone and smiled once I saw the caller ID. It was Morty.
"Hey, what's up?" I asked.
"Good evening, Arin. I'd love to say I called to chat, but I'd like to ask for a favor instead."
One of my brows rose even though Morty couldn't see it. Out of everything I expected Morty to call about, that was not one of them.
"What kind of favor are we talking about?" I asked carefully.
"I heard you're holding a class at your gym tomorrow. Would it be alright if one of my friends joined? They didn't get a chance to register because they found out too late."
My shoulders instantly relaxed. I thought the favor in question was going to involve something much more serious.
"Of course. I'll just need a name to give to my receptionists," I agreed.
I could practically hear Morty smile. "Wonderful! Thanks so much, Arin. The person in question is Miyu Otsuro. She'll be debuting as a Kimono Girl this summer."
Ah, a member of the Hachiura Clan. I found my interest piqued long after I ended the short phone call with Morty.
Members of that Clan were gifted in the cultural arts. Those who gained the recognition of their clan head were elevated to especially high positions, and the most talented ladies formed a group known as the Kimono Girls. They ran the highly renowned Dance Theater over in Ecruteak. Some people traveled thousands of miles simply to see them perform.
I could attest to the skill of the Kimono Girls. Dad had taken me to see some of their stage productions in my childhood, and those ended up being some of my best memories.
Considering that this particular generation of Kimono Girls seemed to be widely praised, it made me curious about them.
I shot a quick text message to Lance while I had my phone out. It had been on my mind all day after hiring Will and by extension Hana, but I'd taken two Conference winners under my wing. It was bound to get a lot of attention and heads turning my way considering one of them, Will, was aiming for an Elite Four position someday.
I didn't want Lance to think I was cooking up some elaborate scheme against him and his people.
Once I was done going over things to do tomorrow, I rejoined the party. Groups had switched up as people mingled and talked with each other. Luca was muttering by himself in a corner, so I went up and joined him.
"What are you doing?" I asked, peering over his shoulder. Luca swung his head up.
"I was thinking about the class tomorrow," he admitted. With shining eyes, he held up his phone to me and started scrolling through a list of notes he'd made. "What do you think about broadcasting it live on the Gym's Poketube channel? Once you host more classes, we can make a playlist of lectures that people can refer back to."
My own eyes lit up from the suggestion. "That's great. It'd be like an online academy series."
"Exactly!" Luca grinned, snapping his fingers.
He rambled on about other ideas he had. It was great to see that he was so enthusiastic about what would be his first day on the job, and I followed his steady stream of rambling as best as possible.
At least, I did… up until I caught sight of movement in my peripheral vision. My gaze flickered downwards.
My eyes subsequently widened.
"Luca."
He didn't hear and chattered on.
"On my own channel, some unboxing videos would be neat—"
"Luca—"
"—and we could show off the gym merch that people can buy—"
"Oh, for the love of Articuno," I muttered.
I grabbed Luca's shoulders to get his attention. The overly enthusiastic guy finally stopped talking and stared at me with wide eyes.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
I let go of his shoulders, stepped back, and pointed at his chest. Luca's head rolled forward as he followed my gaze. It was now he finally saw what I had noticed much earlier.
His Igglybuff Egg was shaking.
Luca literally froze in place. Together, we watched in silence as the pink Egg in his incubator started to shake more and more wildly.
Then—
"The Egg— but I— my observation diary— it's too soon!" Luca cried out in fragmented phrases. The sheer panic in his voice caught the attention of everyone else, and the room fell into silence as Luca waved his arms around. He looked on the verge of collapsing. "Oh my Arceus, the Egg! What do I do? WHAT DO I DO?!"
I slapped a hand on his shoulder again to ground him back to reality. He jolted from the contact.
"Luca, everything is going to be fine," I told him in a calm voice, almost as if I was talking to a lost child. "Relax. Remember, you've been ready for this."
I waited until I got a shaky nod from him, then I lifted my hand and started barking out orders to the rest of the team.
The party was put on hold as everyone ran around to get things ready. Murata and Hazel dragged an empty table over, and Yurie covered it with clean towels she grabbed from a nearby cupboard.
Luca's hands were trembling as he awkwardly ripped off towels and protective padding stuffed around his incubator. He flipped open the lid and pulled out the Igglybuff Egg, carrying it over as if it was made of glass. The Egg's shaking motions intensified the moment Luca put it down on the table.
Yep, this baby was going to hatch any minute now.
"Alright, we're going to make ourselves scarce now," I informed everyone.
Luca looked at me as if he really didn't want to be alone right now, but he was on his own. The imprinting process was important for trainers and their newborn Pokemon. Together with the others, we hid ourselves behind the counters in the back and peeked over the surfaces.
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Holy flying Moltres. This was really happening.
Luca had been soaring high on cloud nine after joining the Cherrygrove Gym — a dream come true! — but the moment he saw his Igglybuff Egg shaking wildly, his heart plummeted straight to his stomach.
He had just enough reasoning left in him to set up his phone nearby for a video recording, but now he stood in front of the shaking Egg with a tense posture.
Oh Arceus. Arin was wrong, so very wrong. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to actually take care of a living, breathing Pokemon—
"Eep!"
A startled sound left his lips when the Egg cracked. A shard went flying through the air with surprising force and landed somewhere on the floor, but Luca didn't dare take his eyes off the Egg.
Right now, the Igglybuff inside was struggling to make its way out into the world. His hands twitched at his sides, and he had to fight the urge to help the baby break free. All the guidebooks he'd read said the same thing: to let the Pokemon inside be. Only in rare and dire situations should an outside force intervene in the hatching process.
So, with a bottomless pit of anxiety, Luca watched as more cracks gradually appeared across the surface of the Egg. Pieces of it peeled off and fell onto the toweled surface below. Enough cracks formed that a whole chunk of the shell dropped, and Luca's heart flew into his mouth when he saw a flash of pink moving inside.
There was a moment of silence as the Egg stopped shaking.
Then the top shell of the Egg burst open with a particularly loud crack, and a round tuft of hair was made visible. The Egg wobbled as the Pokemon inside stumbled around. With an almost unceremonious thud, the half-broken Egg rolled forward.
A Pokemon slowly crawled out of the hole and onto the table with its stubby limbs.
It was tiny. So tiny, in fact, that it could have fit in the palm of just one hand. The newly born Pokemon's pink fur was wrinkly and matted with fluids from the Egg, so it didn't look very cute at all.
The baby eventually stopped crawling. Whether it was by instinct or not, it looked up and gazed right at Luca.
The moment its crimson eyes found Luca's, the boy knew he was a goner. All his anxieties seemed to melt away in an instant.
This was an Igglybuff. His Igglybuff.
He really couldn't help it.
He cried.
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We gave Luca about ten minutes of alone time with his brand new Pokemon, and then I slowly allowed people to go up to the pair.
It turned out that wasn't unnecessary. The newly born Igglybuff wasn't afraid of crowds or new faces at all. In fact, it was one of the friendliest baby Pokemon I'd ever seen in my life.
It wasn't strong enough to do more than crawl around, but it was constantly smiling and making adorable laughs that sounded more like hiccups. Every time someone or something new of interest entered its line of vision, the Igglybuff waved its stubby arms around in delight and tried to get closer.
Most amusing of all, it wanted to play with Luca's phone. Perhaps it already knew what the object was.
There was no doubt it had taken after its caretaker.
I ruffled Luca's hair while he sniffled into a tissue. He blubbered out something that sounded like a thank you as everyone congratulated him and complimented the baby Pokemon. Will was surprisingly very quiet, but he looked on from afar with a soft smile.
Praise eventually devolved into competitive bickering as my gym trainers talked about whose Egg was going to hatch next. I briefly called in my Audino so she could check over the baby Pokemon.
The Igglybuff was healthy. Audi also determined the gender, and it was a boy.
"I'm going to wait until this little guy's older before I ask about a name," Luca announced. He was practically glowing from happiness as he let Igglybuff play with his finger.
I patted him on the back. "Good decision."
The party kicked up a notch after the surprise Egg hatching. Everyone was full of cheer as they talked to each other. The birth of a new Pokemon was always something to celebrate. After answering what seemed like a marathon of questions from Luca regarding how to care for his newly born Pokemon, I was the first to call it a night.
There was a smile on my face as I slipped out of the dining hall. Behind me, laughter echoed.
The Cherrygrove Gym was going to take off from here.
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Nowadays, it felt like Lance practically lived in his office.
Let it not be said that Champions had easy jobs. They weren't just there to sit pretty and intimidate people with their prowess as trainers, but to fill out endless paperwork regarding budgets, plans of action, and the country's state of affairs. Lance also happened to be a Champion in charge of not just one but two different regions.
He'd signed up for this and sworn his life to the country, but that didn't mean he couldn't get tired of it all at times. He needed to get paid more for this. He wasn't thinking about extra money. No, he was thinking about more vacation days. The moment things were finally back to normal, Lance swore he was going to take a break in Alola… permitting its leaders allowed him entry onto their sacred islands.
It would make the headache known as Team Rocket worth it.
The dark circles under his eyes had faded some. At the insistence of Arin, his Elite Four, and other government aides, Lance had finally gotten some much needed sleep the night before. Unfortunately, he was not going to be able to do the same tonight.
League forces were spread out around the country looking for Rocket bases. Thanks to Agent Echo, they at least had some areas of interest to work off of for the time being. It should have put Lance more at ease; instead, it made him more anxious.
He hoped there weren't any other nasty surprises in store from the Rockets.
Lance carelessly tossed a pen across the table and threw his head back, leaning into his chair. His eyes stared almost vacantly at the ceiling above. Maybe he could go out and participate in search efforts… it would boost the morale of their forces, and it would also finally let him escape his office.
Lance felt his phone buzz from his pocket. Without glancing away from the ceiling, he fished it out and held it up to his face.
His face brightened in curiosity. He had a message from Arin.
More than eager to extend his paperwork break, Lance let his fingers fly across the screen as he pulled up said message from his friend. He expected something like 'are you getting enough sleep' or a simple 'how are you.'
What he did not expect was a long-winded message from Arin explaining his newest gym trainer hires. Lance blinked a few times as he read the whole thing.
The simplified version was that Arin had hired Will Itsuki and Hana Eldbeth for the sake of the Cherrygrove Gym, and not because he was trying to use them to take over the League or anything. He even asked Lance if he was okay with it all.
Lance sent back a little thumbs up emoji without thinking too hard about it.
"Good for him," Lance muttered to himself. "Extra labor is always helpful."
Arceus knew he needed more of it around the League—
Lance froze.
Wait a damn second.
He nearly hit himself with his own phone as he swung it back up to his face, peering at the names listed there. Will Itsuki and Hana Eldbeth? Wasn't Will the guy who had challenged Bruno some years ago and Hana the winner of this year's Silver Conference?
Lance went to the Cherrygrove Gym's website just to double check. Lo and behold, the staff members section was already updated with the new hires. The pictures of Will and Hana only reaffirmed what Lance had just learned. He definitely remembered seeing that masked guy before.
So… Arin had hired not one but two different Conference winners?
It wasn't easy to recruit such people to begin with. Almost all high ranking Conference-goers either got scouted and snatched up by the League first, or they continued their Circuit careers for as long as possible.
Lance's brows flew up to his hairline. Now that he was aware of this information, it wasn't like he minded. Lance liked to think he was good at understanding people, and Arin didn't seem to be the scheming type. The fact that the Cherrygrove Gym Leader had personally reached out to him to explain himself helped.
Lance knew his Elite Four wouldn't care either. Bruno had never cared for politics in the first place (as much as that aggravated Lance at times), and the other three would be indifferent about it. They all understood very well that they had to hold onto their positions with their own strength. Otherwise, how could they call themselves members of the Elite Four?
The problem was the rest of the political world.
Some people or… groups of people would perceive the situation in a different light. They would take it as Arin purposely hiring and training Elite Four challengers to successfully win against the current members and take over their spots. They'd see it as him trying to gain more influence within the Indigo League.
Lance shrugged to himself, picking up his pen once more. He didn't have enough brainpower to think about this right now.
"I need to station more forces at Mt. Moon…"
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I rose at an ungodly hour to my phone alarm. It was four in the morning.
It was only after I accepted Chuck's invitation to train with him that I learned of his daily routine. He rose well before dawn to workout.
I typically got up early, but this… this was insanity. Thank Arceus I'd slept early last night.
Sighing, I forced myself out of bed and got ready. Vel sleepily groomed himself while I threw on some workout clothes. From the closet, I dragged out a duffel bag and started stuffing things inside it. A spare change of clothes and shoes for later, hand wraps, sports bottle, towels, toiletries…
All necessities were tucked into the bag when my phone screen lit up. I tried not to yawn as I snagged it off the table and checked the notification.
Wallace had sent me a vacation picture. Specifically, he had sent me a selfie of him and Winona holding up their intertwined hands for the camera. They looked like the happiest damn couple in the world, and it was obvious why.
Sunlight glinted off two silver bands around their fingers. Both rings had stunning gemstones as well as delicate feathers and waves surrounding said stones.
Wallace had proposed like he said he would.
All sense of fatigue left me. I whooped loudly then slapped a hand over my mouth.
Oops.
Thankfully, the house remained silent. Dad hadn't woken up. A huge smile crossed my face as I hurriedly typed a long and sincere congratulatory message for my friends. Wallace texted back instantly. The wedding was going to be held next summer, and I was invited a whole year in advance.
There was a spring in my step as I headed downstairs and out to the backyard. Two of my friends were finally going to tie the knot in a year's time. There was a part of me that wanted to check if the couple had made the news public yet, but I already knew how crazy the online reaction was going to be.
So many good things were happening one after another.
I was still smiling when I climbed on Zuri's back and sped off to the other side of the country.
We took it slow. The skies were swathed in streaks of faded amber and brilliant orange amidst an impossibly deep canvas. Forests and expanses of sea rolled past below, but I only cared about the feeling of the wind against my skin. I was starting to begrudge Chuck less and less for this morning workout invitation.
There was something magical about being up this early, right when the world was just barely awakening from its own slumber.
Before long, the Port of Crashing Waves entered my line of vision.
Even this early in the morning, there were sailors and fishermen making preparations for the day ahead. The docks were full of people walking and moving cargo around. In the distance, uneven rows of buildings with blue-shingled roofs bled into one another. They became increasingly older-looking the further into the city we went. The houses closest to the sea were well-worn and spoke of the passage of time, of salty sea air and sand gradually chipping away at human dwellings.
Cianwood wasn't as large or popular of a port city as Olivine, but it had its own idyllic charm. Lots of older folks retired here to live out their days by the sea.
It didn't take long for me and my Pokemon to find the Cianwood Gym. It was located in a secluded part of the city by the far shores. Similar to the Blackthorn Gym, it resembled a gigantic dojo. The only difference was that Chuck's Gym was much more colorful. The building paid homage to its city with beautiful blue tiles and statues of fishermen and Pokemon working together.
Contrary to my expectations, however, Chuck was not waiting for me outside the Gym. The lights weren't on. Mystified, I had Zuri fly around a bit.
It turned out Chuck and his Pokemon were meditating by the beach.
I hopped off Zuri's back a fair distance away, careful to not interrupt. It didn't matter. Chuck seemed to know I was there because his eyes flew open.
"Morning!" he shouted happily from across the beach. "Thanks for coming!"
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Wow, this early in the morning, and he was somehow as loud as ever. I walked over to him with Zuri trudging after me. Chuck got up from his sitting position and grasped my hand in a hearty handshake once I was within distance. Behind him, over a dozen Fighting type Pokemon looked at me with interest.
"So, how are we doing this?" I asked with a grin. Now that I was actually here, I felt a little more excited.
Judging by the uncontrollable grin on Chuck's face, he felt the same. "My Pokemon and I like to start things off with a morning jog on the beach. Gets our blood pumping, you know? We can spar at the Gym after."
"I'm down."
I instantly dumped my duffel bag on the sand. All the Pokemon I had on hand were released from their capsules. My Water and Flying types — excluding Zuzu — went off to swim and take flight respectively. Zuzu was too busy sizing up Chuck's Poliwrath. After the rest of my team ran through self-introductions with the strangers, we started going through some stretching exercises as a group. Chuck and his own team followed our examples.
We took off across the sand once we were done.
Chuck and his Pokemon were like a well-oiled machine. They moved perfectly in sync with each other as they ran, maintaining a neat formation in the process. It was befitting of a disciplined Fighting Specialist and his team. Even a random observer would be able to identify their strong bonds right away.
Compared to them, my Pokemon moved in a more disorderly bunch. Some of them were actively trying to gain an edge over the others, but that didn't mean they weren't taking this warmup seriously. That was just how they rolled. We were a very chaotic family all things considered.
I simply focused on drawing breaths in one after another. Almost without realizing it, I timed my breaths with the rhythmic lull of the waves lapping against the shore. The air smelled strongly of salt, but I didn't dislike it.
I could see why Chuck liked training this early in the day. Aside from occasional murmurs from the sea, it was so quiet that it felt like we were the only living beings in the world.
When we finished running, we went through cooldown stretches. I drank a few greedy mouthfuls of water then snatched my duffel bag up, following Chuck to the Cianwood Gym.
Lights were flipped on one after another as we stepped inside. Chuck led us to a training hall near the back that was lined entirely with tatami. Almost immediately, our teams split up from us to spar with each other. Chuck and I didn't get started right away. We stood in place for a few moments to observe our Pokemon instead.
Zuzu and Poliwrath had already bowed to each other and thrown themselves into an intense fight.
My Azumarill specialized in close combat. She'd learned from a variety of Water and Fighting masters over the years and added depth to her techniques, but Chuck's Poliwrath was more than able to hold its ground. They traded heavy blows one after another, slipped out of chokeholds, and then proceeded to do it all over again.
Chuck wore a pleased expression when he turned to me.
"This is great!" he guffawed, throwing his head back. "I was starting to think I'd have to ask Bruno if he wanted to spar. My Pokemon were getting tired of training with themselves and our gym trainers."
"I get that," I replied, placing my duffel bag by the wall. My shirt was pulled off over my head and put aside. From my bag, I started pulling out the wraps I'd brought and placing them around my hands instead. I only paused briefly to shoot a grin over my shoulder. "Thanks for the invite."
"Don't go thanking me yet," Chuck warned. There was a devious glint to his eyes as he smashed his fists together. "You might be leaving this training hall today feeling very bruised."
I met his smirk with one of my own as I got up, hands now finally wrapped. "I'd say go easy on me, but please don't."
Instead of getting right into sparring, Chuck ran me through some questions first to see where my fighting experience was at. I knew a few different martial arts from joining Zuzu's lessons with masters over the years, but only the meager basics. It didn't help that I was extremely rusty. Any time I'd been involved with criminals over the years, my Pokemon were all the protection I needed.
"You know what?" Chuck declared after I finished running him through what I knew. He stared at me with a thoughtful expression. "Forget anything remotely fancy today. I think what we should focus on first is self-defense. I'll teach you how to defend yourself against thugs."
And by 'thugs,' he and I both knew he was talking about Rockets. I was quick to voice my approval. Things picked up from there.
"Knees bent. Eyes level. Raise your fists and keep your elbows close to you," Chuck told me in a firm voice.
I followed his instructions and assumed the basic fighting stance he was asking for.
"Good. Always be aware of the space around you…"
I learned very quickly that Chuck was a good teacher.
He patiently guided me through scenarios like getting out of various holds or how to defend myself against a group. And to put those scenarios into action, he and his Pokemon played the roles of attacking Rockets once I'd gotten some practice in.
Convincingly, I might add.
Shouts and thuds continuously filled the hall. At some point, we moved on from self-defense to traditional sparring instead. I couldn't count the number of times my back hit the floor.
One hour later, Chuck called a halt to the training session in a loud, commanding voice. All of his Pokemon instantly stopped what they were doing. As for me…
A groan left my mouth. I was sprawled out on the tatami mat and trying to catch my breath. My torso felt sore from Chuck tackling me to the ground, and my arms were bruised from fending off the ensuing punches. My legs weren't doing much better. Chuck had swept my legs out from under me without mercy more than a few times. Any stances I tried to put myself in were instantly broken.
I opened my eyes to see an outstretched hand full of calluses. Chuck grinned.
"You did good, Arin," he praised as he pulled me up. I rolled my neck with a wince. "I'm surprised you were able to keep up."
"I might not spar often, but I do make a point to regularly exercise at least."
"That's good. As for today's self-defense lessons… I hope you'll never have a situation where they come in handy."
There was a moment of silence between us as his words sank in. I hoped Chuck was right. Higher-level trainers were typically pretty safe with their Pokemon to protect them, but one never knew.
As if to dispel the sudden mood we'd found ourselves in, Chuck slapped me heartily on the back. He gestured to sliding doors on the other side of the room.
"We've got showers through those doors and down the hall if you'd like to use them."
He headed off first while I guzzled down water. Then I picked up my duffel bag and headed off.
The showers Chuck spoke of were huge. There were so many cubicles that it made me wonder exactly how many gym trainers or disciples Chuck had under his command. Once I was done washing up, I slipped on my usual formalwear and returned to the training hall.
Chuck seemed to be herding all of our Pokemon somewhere. He caught my questioning gaze with a smile.
"Come, come. There's something I'd like you to see before you head home," he urged.
That 'something' turned out to be the sunrise.
A blinding glow had enveloped the horizon sometime during our training. Together, we all stood by the beach and cast our gazes out to sea.
I was still a biased Cherrygrove local. Right now, though, as I inhaled the crisp sea breeze and traced the glittering waves with my eyes, I had to admit the view was beautiful.
"I've been a bit stressed lately. When meditation doesn't cut it, I come out here to relax around this time," Chuck confessed in a quiet voice. It didn't match my usual boisterous image of him.
"Because of the Rockets?" I asked.
Chuck nodded glumly, confirming my suspicions.
"Because of the Rockets," he echoed. "I almost feel more on edge now compared to fifteen years ago. They're not… doing anything in public. I would have expected them to cause more of a commotion by now."
He wasn't wrong. I felt the same way. For an organization that seemed intent on terrifying Indigo, they'd stuck to the shadows thus far.
"Maybe we're putting enough pressure on them," I murmured, eyes glued to the sun rising in the distance.
"I hope so."
Chuck and I talked a little more. Apparently Looker and his associates had dropped by yesterday for a quick chat. They were leading urban investigations to see if Rockets were hiding in any towns or cities, and Bruno was their temporary escort.
An image of the muscular man as a silent, menacing bodyguard popped up in my head. My frame shook with silent laughter.
"They seemed reliable," Chuck commented. "Apparently they've visited a few other Gym Leaders already. You might see them around Cherrygrove soon if you haven't already."
I hummed in response. I wasn't going to be unhappy if they did. Having another set of eyes and ears scoping my city for suspicious activity was great if anything.
It was approaching half past six by the time I waved goodbye to Chuck, but only after promising I would come back again to train. My Pokemon and I were more than happy to return in the future. I even thought about bringing my gym trainers with me.
Right after Zuri shot into the skies, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision and nudged her in a different direction instead.
We departed from the Port of Crashing Waves not for home but the Port with Sea Breezes instead.
What we saw first was not the city but its pride and joy: the Olivine Lighthouse. It was quite literally a shining beacon that guided us closer to the harbor. Waves battered weathered paint and craggy rocks at the base of the massive structure. As we drew closer to the city beyond, I inhaled deeply.
If I'd thought the salty sea breeze was thick in Cianwood, it practically threatened to invade my nostrils here.
The smell lingered long after we passed the docks. Warehouses flew by below and were replaced by neighborhoods packed full of old houses and street vendors. There was no rhyme or reason to their architecture and layout, only a sense of history and vibrant life.
This was Johto's largest port city, Olivine.
I guided Zuri towards our destination. The Olivine Gym was a sleek, modern building with two towers shaped like miniature lighthouses. I had to tear my gaze away from the rooftop lest I get blinded by the startling reflection of light. Rows of solar panels were installed there. Apparently, Jasmine had been very inspired by her visit to Sunyshore City some years back.
I wasn't here for any important business. Since Olivine happened to be next door to Cianwood, I thought I'd stop by and say hi to a friend before heading home.
Unfortunately, my visit was for nothing.
A few gym trainers getting ready to open the gym gave me the bad news. Jasmine was out in the city talking to the police chief regarding an undisclosed issue. I wondered if there were more troubles at the docks she had to deal with.
On that anticlimactic note, Zuri and I left for Cherrygrove.
The early morning workouts had left me and my Pokemon feeling famished, so we snuck in breakfast before everyone dropped by for work. Hazel was the last to arrive, commuting all the way here from his sister's place in the city. Morning training did not commence right away. First, I had to introduce the newbies to the Pokemon.
I'd told Luca he could have the day off to bond with his Igglybuff, but he showed up anyway with a selfie stick in hand. Somehow, I was not surprised to see him in a ridiculous getup again. By that, I meant that he'd replaced the Egg incubator strapped to his chest with an actual baby carrier instead. Igglybuff giggled from its padded confines and waved at me.
"Can I take pictures and videos of the Pokemon?" Luca asked. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink, but I didn't point that out. As soon as I gave him the go-ahead, he walked off excitedly to do his own thing. I heard him talking in an exaggerated baby voice to Igglybuff as he left.
He was officially a Pokemon dad, alright.
My older gym trainers were happy to show the new hires around and show off the knowledge they'd learned from me. No incidents occurred, but the Cottonee almost sprayed some weak paralysis powder on unsuspecting heads.
Hana was the fastest out of the group to notice and tell them off in a quiet yet stern voice.
I'd never seen the Cottonee apologize so quickly before. Our newest Grass Specialist was already proving to be helpful.
While we walked around, Felix won over the gym Pokemon with his bright personality. Even Mr. Puff couldn't stay grumpy in his presence. It was definitely not because Felix complimented him for his screaming. It only got worse when Lico joined and Felix heaped praise onto the Scream Tail as well.
I had to stop both puffballs from annoying the whole damn forest.
Will was a hit or miss with the Pokemon. Some, like the Impidimp and Popplio, loved his theatrics. Others regarded him with less than fond feelings. The psychic took it all in stride. To no surprise, he was most interested in the dual Psychic and Fairy types we had. They showed equal interest in him.
For one thing, the Hatenna line didn't shy away from him. Will might have had a flamboyant persona, but that didn't mean his mind was much the same. Like most human psychics or Psychic Specialists, he had a firm grasp over his inner emotions and thoughts. It showed in the way the Hatenna and Hattrem circled him with smiles.
They weren't nearly as comfortable with the other gym trainers yet, so I decided to relegate Will as their caretaker for the time being.
What I found more fascinating was Will and the Galarian Ponyta.
Felix and Hana were more than happy to go up and introduce themselves, but Will stayed at a distance. It was almost like he was afraid of them.
"They won't bite," I commented, stepping into place next to him.
Will let out a small laugh.
"I understand," he assured me with a sage nod of his head. "I was merely wondering what they would see."
"What do you mean?"
"I read the research paper you and the Professors published," Will explained, but he wasn't looking at me. He was staring in the direction of the Galarian Ponyta. "It mentioned they can peer into one's heart. It makes me wonder what mine would look like to them. Do they perceive the heart in colors? Feelings? Shapes?"
"You won't know for yourself unless you go near them first," I not so subtly encouraged him.
Will broke out in a grin, adjusting his cravat with a flourish. "Very well! To quell the curiosity, I must find the answer myself."
The way he so confidently marched off made it seem like his previous hesitation had never existed in the first place. I watched curiously from a distance as Will stopped before one of the more mature Galarian Ponyta we had.
Will said something to the horse— what exactly, I had no idea, but the horse bothered to give him the time of day. It stopped grazing and stared curiously into Will's eyes. He stared back without moving, lips still curled in a smile.
Seconds passed.
Eventually, the horse broke the stare off. I smiled when the Ponyta trotted forward, rubbing its mane against Will's leg. I found myself wondering the same thing Will had. What had his heart looked like to the horse?
After introductions and morning training, we warped to the Gym and split up to do our respective work. I gave our newest hires a quick tour of the employee areas then ushered them into a meeting room.
Gym Trainer Life and Fairy 101 time began.
I ran through the same presentations I'd given my other gym trainers in the past and warned them about future quizzes and tests. Will was the most eager out of the three and shot his hand into the air multiple times to ask questions.
I wasn't annoyed. Enthusiasm was preferred over indolence.
Once we finished, I had Felix and Hana go find Neil for their first group patrol. Will was supposed to go with them, but he stayed behind to inquire about a small issue.
"Arin, it's devastating!" he complained with arms raised to the heavens. I raised a brow, but Will had already continued. "I'm having trouble Teleporting inside the gym. I feel like a part of me has been ripped away."
That was… a bit dramatic, but I nodded slowly. Sometimes it was easy to forget I had a human psychic as part of my staff now.
"That's probably because of the Silph Co. anti-Teleport tiles," I explained, and I jerked my head in the direction of the hallway. "Come on. We'll go speak with our technicians."
While we walked, I elaborated on the aforementioned tiles for Will's benefit. Most of them were installed on the Gym's upper floors that were reserved for staff.
As useful as Teleportation was, there were obviously security risks that came with it. Indigo also happened to boast a much higher than average number of human psychics compared to other countries in the world.
With all that being said, Indigo's most innovative company — the one and only Silph Co. — had taken on the task of creating technology to safeguard against Teleportation misuse. Sometime in the last decade, they'd managed to create these useful anti-Teleport tiles that could be installed between walls. A Pokemon just needed to recharge them every few days or so and imbue Dark type energy into their batteries. I didn't know the fine details of how it worked, but the panels essentially radiated Dark type energy in a wavelength that ejected foreign Teleport attempts from Pokemon and people alike. The panels weren't as good as living Dark type Pokemon blockades, but they did the job well enough for day-to-day purposes.
The Silph Company's other pride and joy, the warp tile, worked very similarly. Pokemon had to occasionally supply it with Psychic type energy.
Both were also incredibly expensive pieces of technology that had depleted a large chunk of my savings. The Indigo League had at least covered some of it since the Gym fell under their jurisdiction.
Since Will wanted to Teleport within the Gym, I guided him to the security room. The technicians there had Will sit down and run through some tests like injecting some of his psychic energy into a measuring device. Then they fiddled with the panels connected to anti-Teleport tiles around the building and added Will's psychic signature to the list of approved entities. The tiles would register any Teleports he tried from now on and let his attempts go through.
No sooner had the procedure finished did Will Teleport to my left, my right, and then back again in front of me.
"Ah, much better," he sighed, and he bowed to the employees who had helped him. "Thank you, good sirs, for your troubles! Much appreciated."
I refrained from rolling my eyes in amusement. It was one thing after another with Will.
"Do try to keep it to a minimum, please. Exercise does wonders."
Will cackled.
"But of course!"
Somehow, I got the sense we were going to see a lot of Teleport shenanigans in the future.
----------------------------------------
The doors to the battle hall were wide open. A steady stream of people trickled in with their partner Pokemon and gathered on the field. From one side to the other, I saw local Fairies like Jigglypuff or non-Fairy types like Teddiursa and Hoppip. Amusingly enough, over half the people here had an Eevee with them. I wondered how many of them were Coordinators and how many were actually Trainers.
Silently, I stood at the front of the ever-growing crowd with an offline mic attached to my shirt's collar and a full stomach from lunch.
The Cherrygrove Gym's first class would soon be in session.
Since this was a practical class, I kept the online signups open to a limited number of spots. Having too many participants would make it difficult to spend enough time helping each person. On the bright side of things, Luca was stationed nearby with a camera to record the class once it started. People who weren't able to be here and receive help in person could at least listen to the advice I had to offer.
All my gym trainers were in attendance. Excluding the more inexperienced people like Haru and Souta who wanted any extra training they could get, the others were here for support.
Felix was the most excited of all. Instead of standing off to the side, he and his Eevee were standing right in front of me in the first row. I could see their whole bodies shaking with impatience.
I was still waiting for our guest to show up— ah, was that her?
A teenager walked through the doors and headed towards me with slow yet dignified steps. She looked no older than sixteen or seventeen at most. Long brown hair fell in waves down her back, and she had large, doe-like eyes. A charming beauty by conventional standards. Even though she wore a casual summer outfit instead of a kimono, I knew this was the girl Morty had asked me to look out for. The symbol of her Clan was printed on a corner of her shirt.
Miyu Otsuro of the Hachiura Clan.
An Eevee walked gracefully by her side. I wasn't surprised to see it. The Hachiura Clan, and more specifically its members who wanted to join the Kimono Girl troupe, typically received an Eevee from the clan head to raise. Judging from the immaculate fur on Miyu's Eevee, she obviously took care of it very well.
For some reason, she was carrying a heavy-looking box wrapped in silk. I walked over to relieve it from her since it seemed like she was struggling, and she offered a small but genuine smile.
"My apologies, Leader Arin. Thank you for the assistance," she said, and she dipped forward in a deep and courteous bow. "I am Miyu Otsuro of the Hachiura Clan. Please accept my utmost gratitude for allowing me to join this class today. I wish I could have registered properly like everyone else."
"It's fine, a friend of Morty's is a friend of mine," I waved off her concerns with my free hand and began to walk. Miyu's overly formal manner of speech reminded me of Janine's.
Miyu didn't say anything, but the sound of footsteps told me she was following closely.
"I'm assuming your Eevee wants to be a Sylveon, then?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes," came Miyu's polite voice from behind me. I thought I sensed some enthusiasm leaking out. "She is eager to catch up with her littermates, and I wish to join my sisters and cousins at the theater. A Sylveon's beauty appeals greatly to her."
I echoed a polite good luck as we reached the front row. I set Miyu's mystery box off to the side for now since we both didn't want that to get in the way of class. She took a spot by Felix's right, and I swore I saw sparks go off the instant their eyes met.
Not in the good way either.
Blazing fire had met cool ice.
They stared first, then they looked at each other's Eevee. It seemed like they were sizing each other up. Hell, even their Eevee were inspecting each other carefully. Maybe it was their pride as Eevee owners that had stoked this sudden rivalry? I heard Felix and Miyu conversing in low voices, but the only thing I could make out clearly was one phrase said in unison.
"My Eevee will evolve first."
I ignored the sudden chill I felt from the first row and watched the doors instead. More people filtered in.
Five minutes later, a receptionist appeared at the entrance and closed the doors. That meant everyone was here. The moment Luca turned the camera on, my mic piece went live. I clapped my hands together with a smile. All whispers in the crowd died away instantly.
"Welcome, everyone, to the Cherrygrove Gym. Today, I'll be helping your Pokemon learn basic Fairy type moves," I said, making sure to speak clearly. "A recording of this class will be uploaded to the Gym's Poketube channel at a later time. Otherwise, feel free to take notes as I talk. We'll start with a lecture, then a demonstration, then practice. Any questions before we begin?"
Even before I finished speaking, I saw people pulling out notepads and pens. Felix and Miyu were the first among them to whip out said items. Some people even took out phones or familiar red devices — Pokedexes — and turned on their recording functions.
They watched me with bated breath.
I smiled, folding my hands behind my back.
"Then let's begin. Before we dive into the world of Fairies, I'd like to discuss type energy in general. Would anyone like to share their thoughts?"
I waited a few seconds and looked around the room. Silence followed. Either no one had a coherent thought, or they weren't brave enough to speak up. I was sure none of them had expected this kind of philosophical thinking to come up during today's class, but this was important for the points I needed to get across later.
"How about Aura? Does anyone know anything about that?"
This one was trickier, so I wasn't surprised when no one answered again.
"It is not something that ordinary humans can physically see or control, but Aura dwells in every living being, both people and Pokemon alike. An innate spiritual energy. Essentially, it's our life force," I explained.
"Type energy, on the other hand, is a separate energy. You can consider it as a type of elemental force that coexists with the Aura inside Pokemon. Some type energy naturally dwells within Pokemon like Fire within Charmander. It can also be gathered from the world around us. From there, that energy can be condensed and expelled in the form of what we know as moves."
As I paused to take a breath, someone raised their hand in the air near the back. I pointed at them silently. It was only then that I realized it was the boy from the Pokemon Center, the one who had asked me about classes. He looked as nervous as he had back then.
"U-Um…" he stammered. He cringed a little at the sound of his own trembling voice. "If type energy coexists with Aura, does that mean all Pokemon can use Aura, too?"
I smiled encouragingly. A question like this one was what I loved hearing. It meant people were genuinely interested and wanting to learn.
"Good question," I praised before continuing. "Not all Pokemon can use Aura."
A sea of confused faces looked back at me. I held up a hand to placate them, still with a knowing smile on my face.
I tapped my wrist. "Being able to manipulate and wield life energy itself in its purest, wildest form… that is what would make a human or a Pokemon an Aura user. This is limited only to a scant number of humans and certain Pokemon species who possess the sensitivity and capability for that," I explained.
I didn't need to state it out loud, but I was sure people were probably thinking of Lucario right now. That was the Pokemon people were most familiar with when the word Aura came up. Aura in its purest form was too lethal to use in traditional matches. Typically, Pokemon like Lucario diluted it with Fighting type energy or other forms to mold it for sports.
"So now we get to the crux of today's class: Fairy type energy. How can your Pokemon learn it?"
People leaned in. This was what they really came here for.
"For any type energy, it's important to visualize and understand the concept behind them. Some elements like Grass or Water are easier to learn. Pokemon can draw in energy from the physical world around them, or they already have some of that energy dwelling within them from the start."
I raised a hand in front of my face and clenched it.
"Fairy type energy is a little trickier. It's about belief. Within the context of just learning a basic Fairy type move, your Pokemon needs to believe they are capable of accomplishing it. Sounds incredibly simple, right?" I asked, smiling.
Hesitant nods came from my audience. I tapped the side of my head with a finger.
"Well, it extends a lot further than that. You're not just believing that you can do a Fairy Wind or a Baby-Doll Eyes, you're believing them INTO reality… You're giving that thing you dream of a real and tangible form. Your belief becomes the truth that you see with your eyes. If your conviction isn't strong enough, nothing will change."
I started gesturing in the cardinal directions.
"Your Pokemon can feel the world around them. The moon, the stars, all the nature and land around us— all of it's technically rooted in belief, too. Stories and words give rise to meaning, power… belief."
I gestured to the Pokemon standing next to me. Vel waved a ribbon in greeting.
"Before we go any further, I'll have my Pokemon physically manifest Fairy type energy and share the feeling with your Pokemon. No two Fairy Pokemon will ever remotely believe the same way, but it will help your Pokemon get a sense of what the energy should feel like," I told them.
That was Vel's cue. Silently, the Sylveon sat in place and stared at the crowd in front of us. He didn't seem like it, but I knew he was focusing intently.
Above his head, a familiar sight unfolded. Strands of moonlight Weaved themselves into a brilliant orb. Vel let it expand to a moderately large size. Once he was satisfied, he let the orb unravel. Sparkling dust flew forward and washed over the waiting crowd. More than a few people gasped, but they needn't have worried.
It was harmless. Soothing, if I really wanted to be technical.
I saw people and Pokemon alike closing their eyes as the dust melted against their skin like snowflakes. The trainers wouldn't be able to feel anything at this stage, but their Pokemon?
Right now, a temporary surge of power was welling up in their bones. They probably felt like they could do anything right now, like they'd been given wings and could take flight… like they weren't meant for this world but something greater.
I let them take it in for a few seconds before nodding.
"Before we move onto practice, I'll open up the floor to questions. Are there any?"
Two people raised their hands at the same time. Felix and Miyu.
"How does an Eevee evolve into a Sylveon?" Felix asked. Miyu lowered her arm, so I could only assume she had the same question. "In the research paper on Fairies, it was only written that an Eevee needs to have a close bond with their trainer and an understanding of how to control Fairy type energy."
As I looked around the room, I was reminded once again that the majority of the people in this class today had brought an Eevee with them.
Eevee was a Pokemon species with an irregular genetic structure, one that allowed it to evolve into different forms depending on the kind of type energy it became familiar with. It wasn't just enough to give it a Fire or Thunder Stone without any training, they had to familiarize themselves with the element first.
"That's correct. A strong bond between trainer and Pokemon is the first step," I answered. "It's also true that Eevee needs to have an understanding of the element it ultimately wants to align itself with. For a Pokemon with such a unique genetic makeup, a sense of identity is especially important if they want to become a Sylveon."
I stared back at the enthralled crowd.
"Your Eevee is going to have to ask themselves who they are and what they believe in. What drives them in life, and what do they hope to accomplish? What is their place in the world? What makes them them?" I said slowly. "Simple and short-term goals like wanting to earn a gym badge will only be fuel for the present. Your Pokemon has to really look into themselves and begin to find their core beliefs. Only after they've gained that sense of identity will they be ready to evolve."
I saw more than a few people adopt contemplative expressions across the room. Felix and Miyu looked particularly deep in thought, though they also looked troubled.
"Thank you," Felix finally murmured with a dip of his head.
He fell silent. I waited to see if anyone else had questions, but there were none. It seemed like people were more eager to start practicing instead.
"Then we can begin practice. Visualization is going to be just as important as believing when it comes to manifesting these moves into reality. Let's group up by moves. For people who want to learn Fairy Wind, move here…"
The hall became full of movement as people and Pokemon shuffled around to different corners. There were groups for Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Charm, and Baby-Doll Eyes.
Predictably, the latter had the most participants.
For each group, I started things off by giving them starting guides for the move they wanted to learn.
"Alright, Baby-Doll Eyes," I said, and I clapped my hands together. My mic piece was off. Dozens of people stared back at me, most of them with an Eevee at their side. Felix and Miyu were in this group. "Like the move suggests, your Pokemon will need to focus Fairy type energy into their eyes. It's not just about looking cute. You are cute. Believe it. That is the reality you give your opponents and how you'll be perceived in their mind."
The next hour and a half was spent walking back and forth between groups. I spent at least a couple minutes with each pair to check their progress. If anyone had trouble, I had Vel either demonstrate the move or wrap a ribbon around them to help guide the flow of energy inside. Two of my gym trainers, Souta and Haru, were actually helping demonstrate Charm to the students of that group while getting practice of their own. Their Snubbull and Azurill looked like they were having fun.
The concept behind Fairy type energy was a little more abstract compared to other elements, so I wasn't surprised that everyone had trouble at first.
Well… almost everyone.
About thirty minutes into the practice session, shocked gasps rippled across the room while I was helping a trainer's Hoppip. When I wandered over to see what the commotion was, I found a group of envious trainers around Felix and Miyu.
Their Eevee were busy charming some of the other Pokemon with innocent, wide-eyed smiles and eyes positively dripping with Fairy type energy.
I wouldn't say they were flawless Baby-Doll Eyes, but they were pretty damn good attempts.
I'd expected no less from Felix and his Eevee considering they had so much experience with TM moves. They were familiar with working with different type energies already. As for Miyu and her Eevee, they had probably undergone serious training that was expected of the Hachiura Clan.
I made sure to praise both pairs for their efforts. I was almost afraid they would ask me to pick a winner out of the two or something, but thankfully, both Felix and Miyu had too much dignity to stoop that low.
"Do we just keep practicing this?" Felix inquired.
"How do we proceed to the next step in the evolution process?" Miyu followed up politely, but she did a poor job of hiding the desperation in her voice. Evidently, she really wanted to join the ranks of the Kimono Girls. "I thought perhaps Eevee would be ready to evolve now."
"This is good, but it's not enough," I told them in all seriousness. They latched onto every word as I continued. "Like I said before, a strong sense of identity is a crucial part of the evolution process. It's obvious both of you have strong bonds with your Pokemon already, so you've got that part down at least. Keep practicing Baby-Doll Eyes to feel the flow of energy better. Encourage your Pokemon to go through serious self-reflection. Their homework will be to seriously think about who they are and what they want to become."
Miyu hesitated before speaking. "Beyond just being a Sylveon? Or… wanting to put on shows?"
"Yes," I said with a firm nod. "Look a little deeper."
Felix and Miyu went back to having those same troubled expressions I saw earlier. This was not going to be a snap of the fingers revelation, sadly.
The rest of the session flew by. During that time, more pairs managed to nail the Fairy moves they were working on or some semblance of them at the very least. By the time class drew to a close, I saw more happy faces than disappointed.
"That's the end of today's class. Everyone worked hard," I said into my mic piece, smiling. "No matter if your Pokemon was able to achieve or not achieve the move you worked on today, keep practicing. Keep believing. Your Pokemon can be as strong as they believe themselves to be."
It was a bit of a cheesy end to the class, but people clapped enthusiastically anyway. At the door, I let people know they could email me for questions or additional help if they didn't make any progress after today.
Miyu and Eevee stopped briefly to bow on their way out.
"Thank you for today's instruction," Miyu said as she arose. Her Eevee barked cutely, bringing a smile to the girl's face. "We both have a lot of thinking to do. If you ever come by Ecruteak, please consider visiting the Dance Theater for a show. My Clan and I will offer you the best seats in the house."
Now that was an offer I couldn't refuse. I was sure my Pokemon would love seeing them perform, too.
"Thank you."
Miyu smiled, bowed one last time, and then turned for the door. I only realized she was forgetting something when she nearly made it out.
"Wait, Miyu! You forgot your—"
"Ah, that is for you, Leader Arin," Miyu said politely over her shoulder. "A gift from the Kimono Girl troupe. I thought it best to tell you after the lesson rather than before to avoid any complications."
With a dainty wave, the girl finally disappeared from sight.
I let the security guards handle escorting the rest of the class out and walked over to the mystery gift instead. My gym trainers were already crowded around with curious expressions. They leaned in closer when I pulled the silk wrapping off.
A colorful box full of treats stared back at us.
"Ooh!" Hazel was the first to react, hurriedly readjusting his glasses before they could slip down his nose from excitement. "These are Lala Dango from Ecruteak! I had these before as a kid. They're from the oldest dango store in the city. They sell out fast in the mornings."
Yurie looked like she wanted to wipe away invisible drool from her mouth. "Can we eat them now?"
Instead of responding verbally, I pulled off the lid.
Hands went flying as people grabbed sticks of dango. I safely extracted one once the initial food war died down and popped it in my mouth. One, this tasted great, and two… we were missing a few people. When I did a cursory glance around the hall, I saw that Souta and Haru were still on the battlefield. They were busy laughing as their Pokemon practiced Charm on each other. Ah, the joys of friendship and youth.
"Oi," I called out, drawing out the word with a grin. "We've got snacks over here—"
A startled yell from Haru nearly made me and everyone else drop their dango sticks.
"What? What? Do we have an intruder?" Neil yelled, running into the hall from the lobby. He'd been on guard duty.
Nobody answered him. We were all too busy staring at the white light from the center of the field. Haru's Azurill was bathed in intense light. From where I was, I couldn't make anything out, but I knew the Pokemon's form was morphing within the light's folds.
When the light faded, Mimi stared down at her new body. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she twirled around energetically. Haru's jaw dropped to the floor.
"Mimi… You're a Marill now," he said faintly. He blinked rapidly as the reality of the situation sank in. He whooped loudly, fist pumping the air. "You evolved! Holy crap!"
Souta joined him in victory whooping and clapped him on the back. More congratulations came Haru's way as we all joined the two boys on the field.
"How did it happen?" I heard Murata ask as we approached.
"I-I don't know," Haru admitted in a breathless voice. He waved his hands around in bumbling gestures. "Our Pokemon were just play fighting with each other and then whoa, there was light…"
I chewed my dango, smiling. Sometimes what precipitated an evolution was not a stress-inducing battle but the warmth of friendship and security.
"We're celebrating," I announced in a tone that left no room for questioning. I pointed to the doors with my empty dango stick. "Ice cream, pizza, taiyaki— pick whatever you want. It's on me."
"Last one to the city is a rotten Exeggcute!" Yurie immediately hollered, and she dashed out the door.
"Fu— I mean crap!" Hazel amended once he saw Luca glaring at him with hands wrapped around his Igglybuff's ears. He ran after her.
Will laughed and threw his hands up.
"My apologies, everyone, I think I'm winning this," he said in between chortles, and he disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Scandalized gasps rang out as the rest of us followed.
"CHEATER!"
"That's dirty! No Teleporting!"
I couldn't help but laugh wildly to myself, joy bubbling in my chest.
It was just another day at the Cherrygrove Gym.
Unfortunately, that bubble of ordinary happiness burst sooner than I would have wanted. A call from Lance later that evening had me sitting up straight in my chair.
"Arin, we need your help at Mt. Moon. Giovanni and Brock have gone missing."
It seemed my services were needed sooner than expected.