Bianca was hardly delighted with how this journey was starting. It wasn’t awful, but there was certainly an element of preparedness required that the impatient part of her hoped she could skip. The day, or rather days, were beginning to blur, and she blamed it on them going from point “A” to “B” to “C”, and at this rate, all the way to “Z”.
Boat to Goldenrod. Taxi ride (never again) to the airport. Plane to Wyndon, where she was finally allowed a little sleep (only after learning her traveling companion was the strongest trainer in Alola), only to be walking around again for supplies and then getting stalked by the strongest trainer in the world whilst being attacked by a trio of rhyming idiots. After their defeat, they then talked to the aforementioned trainer before they were given the time to rest and eat.
All of that in one-ish day, and it wasn’t even over. After a train ride, they were taken to a house where they were thankfully given lunch, only to be yanked back out and on the way to the professors. Bianca very much expected to be pulled in some other direction ten times over before they were finally allowed to just…be alone.
It wasn’t a thought she’d ever dreamed of having, but given the events as of late, only dealing with Ash and his antics was a more desirable route than everyone else’s.
She didn’t hate Leon or his family; they had been incredibly kind and hospitable, even if the cause was a little more than suspiciously nepotic.
The energy from the family was what got to her, however. Both brothers were quite excitable, and dare she say stranger than the Twins, and it was only her familiarity with the draconic siblings that allowed her to be at ease with their behavior. Needless to say, she didn’t have that with Leon or Hop. Despite their kindness, they were for all intents and purposes…strangers.
Hell, even though she now considered Ash to be something of a friend, he was still a little unfamiliar to her. He was fairly easy to read, sure, but there was a barrier of newness that prevented them from really clicking.
Well, for her.
He just plods along like a Growlithe, she thought as the corner of her mouth twitched upwards. A strong Growlithe, sure, but there was no denying he had a kind of innocent happiness to him that was rare among people his age…
“I can’t wait to go out there and see all those Pokemon!” Hop exclaimed as he pounded a fist into his open palm. “I’m gonna befriend the first Pokemon I catch, which’ll also be the first Pokemon I see!”
“Now that’s the spirit I like to see!” Leon said approvingly.
…present company excluded, Bianca thought with a small shake of her head. By some stroke of luck or unluck, she managed to meet three people who shared a brain cell among them. A brain cell that happened to win two of them Championship titles, but a brain cell nonetheless.
Now the question was if Hop was next in line.
“I kinda angered the first Pokemon I saw,” Ash said, bringing Bianca’s focus back onto him. “So just bear that in mind.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think Hop is going to throw a rock at a Pokemon,” she snorted, earning a ducking head from Ash and a disbelieving look from Hop.
“You did what, mate?”
Ash sighed, shooting a glum look at Bianca that she internally laughed at before replying to Hop in a defeated tone, “I…threw a rock at a Spearow on my first day and its flock attacked me and Pikachu.”
Hop stared at his fellow trainer for a moment before looking at his brother and asking, “You’re sure that’s the Alola Champion, Lee?”
Bianca had to use every ounce of self-control to not bust out laughing, eyes watering at the effort. Pikachu didn’t bother with such effort, using all of it to hang on to Ash’s shirt as the rodent wheezed from his position on his trainer’s shoulder.
“That’s not very nice,” Leon chided his brother, although it was difficult to ignore his heavily twitching lips. “And yes, I’m sure. I’ve seen him fight, both on screen and in person. However, the latter was quite brief, which is why we’re headed to the Professors now to get a proper assessment.”
“I thought there’d be some kind of…I don’t know, process to this? Maybe one unified building or something,” Bianca remarked, earning a chuckle from Leon.
“That would certainly cut back on walking,” he conceded before shooting her an amused look. “But the more complex a process, the more complications are likely to arise. Separate parts moving independently can be tedious, I’ll admit. But I’ve found that putting them together in one machine makes it worse.”
Bianca pursed her lips, thinking his words over. She certainly couldn’t deny his truth; putting everything in one pot tended to complicate anything that wasn’t food.
Didn’t mean she had to like it.
“Yeah, I guess that’s fair,” she said, admitting defeat. “Still, I figured Ash and I would be traveling by now. Like, properly journeying and stuff.”
“Think of it like the journey to our journey,” Ash said with a grin. “There’s always a little boring before the fun, and traveling is no different. Besides, I’m willing to bet there will be times when you’re bored on the road, too. It’s not all battles…sadly.”
She could only shrug at that, figuring as much. “Yes, very sad. Anyway, it’s still something I’m itching to get into. Not knowing where I’m being yanked from one moment to another is jarring, to say the least.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Leon promised confidently. “This should be the last stop, anyway…er, not counting the train station again. Of course, that depends on how long you plan on traveling with Ash, or even if Ash decides to continue traveling after he…competes.”
There it is again, Bianca thought, although aloud, she said, “I guess that’s fair. I’m still not sure yet if I’ll be able to even go the full journey, but we’ll see.”
That certainly caught Ash’s attention, and she could see him turn to her with a small frown as he asked, “Wait, you might not go the full way?”
“I’m flattered that you seem to want me to go the entire distance,” Bianca wryly remarked. “But remember that my grandfather said I could go back any time I wanted. Not to mention my friend, who I’m sure you remember said he’d come find me if need be.”
Ash shivered at that, although that quickly passed once he resumed his contemplative frown.
Feeling as though she perhaps went a little too far with her joke, she acquiesced and said, “But I wouldn’t worry too much. I don’t have the urge to strangle you right now, despite your unfortunate choice of words back at the house, so you’re doing well enough.”
“Thanks!” Ash practically cheered, only to frown again and say, “Wait, what unfortunate wor-”
“Anyway,” Leon interrupted, saving Bianca, “we should be there really soon. So definitely make a good first impression, not that I don’t think you will.”
Unfortunately for Leon, this was the perfect leverage for Hop. The younger brother gave a mischievous grin as he said, “Oh, definitely. We wouldn’t want to look bad in front of your…girlfriend? Fiance? Where you at with her these days—OW!”
“Enough of that!” The eldest sibling insisted with a flushed face. “This is what I mean by—”
“‘First Impressions?’”
A voice brought their attention to the side of the road where a young woman with bright orange hair was watching them from underneath a tree with crossed arms and a coy expression.
“S-Sonia!” Leon squeaked, his voice going an octave higher. “What a surprise to see you here! Er, how much of that did you-?”
“Aww, look at Hop!” The woman interrupted in a cheery voice as she stepped out from underneath the canopy. “I was wondering when you’d finally start, up until I got that message from your older brother! I see he’s finally seen some sense in letting you wander off. And who are these adorable additions you have with you?”
Needless to say, Bianca was caught off guard by the woman’s behavior as she approached them, cyan eyes glimmering with curiosity and intelligence. Now that she was closer, Bianca could make out the heart-shaped clips in the woman’s hair, the pink someone not clashing with her orange hair in the slightest. Whatever she had been expecting from Sonia when she first heard of the woman, it hadn’t been this.
Although to be fair, she didn’t really know what to expect anyway.
“Er, hi!” Ash said brightly, bringing Sonia’s gaze to him as he attempted to continue. “I’m Ash, from-”
“Pallet Town!” Sonia interrupted once more, clapping her hands together. “I recognize you now, Alolan Champion/ Welcome to Galar, Ash Ketchum! Here to take the crown from Leon so he can finally stay here in Postwick?”
“Uh—”
“It’s fine if you’re not, but it’d certainly help out a bunch,” the woman hummed, shooting the nonplussed boy an amused smirk. “Of course, you’re going to have to battle Hop for that right. Naturally, I’ll have to root for him. Babysitter’s duty, after all! But I won’t be too petty if you’re the one to take his crown. And who’s your friend? Or maybe girlfriend?”
Bianca rolled her eyes even as Sonia focused on her. “Just friend,” she sighed in annoyance, “but it’s…nice to meet you. I’m Bianca, from Alto Mare.”
“Oooh, Alto Mare!” Sonia gushed with sparkling eyes. “Such a beautiful city, and their architecture is to die for! And that’s not even getting into your clothes. That outfit is positively adorable; we’re going to have to talk more about fashion later!”
“Thanks, but the last person that wanted to talk ‘fashion’ with me attempted to kill a bunch of people, including myself,” she dryly stated with a mild grimace, Ash coughing into his fist while Leon and Hop turned to her with twin looks of disbelief.
Sonia merely blinked with a look of sympathy. “Ah, you must be…” she began, only to shake her head and adopt a brighter expression. ”Well, I’d say you’re looking pretty spry, despite that! As for that little incident, professors do tend to hear things down the grapevine once in a while.”
Professors? Grapevine?
Bianca didn’t like the sound of that, and she couldn’t help but glance at Ash with a small frown. By some stroke of luck, he seemed to pick up on the silent question, and he slightly shook his head, adding in a subtle shrug.
I’ll talk to him later, she resolved, not wanting to interrogate him in front of everyone. Right now, she had a duty to see what the professor knew and hopefully squash rumors before they spread further.
“What exactly…did you hear?” She risked asking in the hope that Sonia didn’t know any sensitive details.
That hope was rewarded with Sonia tilting her head in thought, placing a finger on her chin as she replied, “Well, not much. Only thing I know is that two miscreants tried to tamper with Alto Mare’s curious little device. They didn’t get very far, and apart from attacking a couple people, nothing came of it.”
Bianca merely nodded, allowing herself to relax. It didn’t seem as though the woman knew anything beyond what the public of Alto Mare did, and though it was somewhat odd that the news managed to find its way across the globe, nothing about the Twins or Soul Dew was compromised. She allowed a small smile and replied, “Well, nothing bad happened, that’s the important part.”
“Oh, certainly,” Sonia agreed with another clap of her hands. “A double tragedy was averted, and I still get a chance to take Leon there on a little outing. Speaking of; how has our Champion been?”
The woman practically purred as she finally turned to face the man, a couple of fingers twirling her hair around. “Been a little too long, don’t you think? You almost never stop by, at least when I’m all alone at Granny’s.”
And now it’s awkward, Bianca thought as she coughed into her fist and looked away. After getting a rough idea about the situation between Sonia and Leon from the latter’s parents, it was certainly something to behold in person. A glance at Ash told her he had no clue what was going on between them, merely wearing his signature peaceful smile as Pikachu lounged on his shoulder to the best of his ability.
Glancing away from the dense idiot, Bianca looked at Hop and his gleeful expression as he observed the pair. It was blindingly obvious that while the younger brother approved of Leon and Sonia getting together, he also took great enjoyment in the agonizing awkwardness on his brother’s end.
Bianca sighed, shaking her head as she adjusted the strap of her bag; she was just here for the battle. Lingering on somebody else’s relationship problems wasn’t going to accomplish anything right now.
Sonia, for her part, rolled her eyes but didn’t outright protest the situation, though her cheeks were ever-so-slightly tinged pink. “Right, well, if we’re all done standing around looking like a bunch of Slowpoke, we should probably get going. Gran is expecting us, and I imagine you trainers are eager to start your journey.”
“Great call,” Leon agreed quickly, the group once more began moving. “Shouldn’t be too far, anyway. Just a few minutes, in fact; I can already see it!”
Bianca looked towards where he seemed to be pointing, and could see a figure standing outside of a large, rectangular stone structure, seemingly looking at them.
“Oh, that must be Gran,” Sonia sighed with a shake of her head. “We’d better hurry along before she collapses and starts beating me over the head with her cane for trying to help her up.”
“That sounds like my Grandpa,” Bianca huffed in amusement as they slightly picked up the pace. “He always told us it’d be better if we just let him stay there and perish rather than let him live with wounded pride. I should probably figure out a way to contact him, now that I’m thinking about it.”
“Us?” Sonia questioned, making Bianca stiffen temporarily. “You and Ash?”
“Other friends,” she answered quickly, internally cursing herself. Something as small as using “we” and “us” instead of “I” was going to blow Latias-sized holes in her story if she didn’t figure something out.
And I thought Ash was a possible security concern, she bemoaned in her mind.
As if to rub her hypocrisy into her face, Ash saved her from having to spout some random cover story by casually saying, “Well, if your Gran is anything like Bianca’s granddad, I look forward to meeting her.”
“Well, you’ll see,” Sonia awkwardly laughed, Hop snorting in amusement. “She can certainly be a firecracker.”
Bianca nodded, but not before shooting Ash a grateful look. For a human-shaped Growlithe, he was certainly clever on his feet when he wanted to be.
Resolving to properly thank him later, Bianca looked ahead of them as they gradually got closer to the figure, now visible as an elderly woman hunched over a cane. The woman shared none of Sonia’s looks, nor did she seem to have any of the younger woman’s warmth.
Yup. Definitely like Gramps.
When they were but ten feet away from the severe-looking woman, Sonia turned her head and said, “Bianca, Ash, this is Professor Magnolia.”
“Thank you, Sonia,” the old woman grunted with a small nod, before looking towards her granddaughter’s companions. “Hello, youngins. Leon, good to see you’re still an idiot. Hop, finally spreading your wings, are you?”
“That’s right!” Hop declared proudly, ignoring Leon’s dramatic droop. “Finally starting my journey, thanks to Lee!”
Magnolia tapped her cane against the ground with a knowing hum. “Hmph. About time. Now, these other two—who are they?”
Bianca blinked as the woman slowly approached, her sharp gaze sweeping over them. Hop, undeterred, grinned as he gestured to the group. “Guys, meet Professor Magnolia! She’s the head Pokémon professor in Galar.”
“Something like that,” the professor admitted, peering at them over the rim of her glasses. “Sonia is next in line, of course, but what Hop says is true. It’s a pleasure to meet you all—and to see that Hop has proper friends for once.”
Ouch. Bianca winced in sympathy but kept her reaction to a polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you as well. My name is Bianca—I’m from Alto Mare, in Johto.”
“I know where that is, youngin’. Been there myself,” Magnolia grunted, making Bianca straighten in surprise. “Not for some years now, of course, but I certainly know my way around the city. Sadly, its guardians never cared to reveal themselves. Maybe next time.”
“Its… guardians,” Bianca echoed stiffly, licking her lips. “What…what makes you think they actually exist? No one—”
“Oh, I’m sure they exist,” Magnolia interrupted, her tone casual—perhaps too casual. “Just as I’m sure at least a few people have seen them. After all, who would build that curious mechanism in the museum if not to be used?”
Bianca swallowed hard, suddenly hyper-aware of Ash standing nearby. She avoided looking at him, afraid of giving something away. Sonia, Hop, and Leon, however, were already exchanging curious glances, clearly intrigued by the exchange.
“But maybe I’m just spouting steam,” Magnolia sighed dramatically, waving a hand. “Perhaps I just hoped to see a legend come to life. It would certainly be a pity for that legend to be a mere story built around a sculpture. Now as for the runt with the Pikachu; what are you doing in Galar? Surely not the League circuit.”
The abrupt shift of focus caught Bianca off guard, although she was glad Magnolia’s attention got off of her for the time being.
“Hi! I’m Ash Ketchum—”
“Yes, I have eyes.”
“—and I’m here to compete in the tournament!” Ash finished, not letting the interruption dissuade him.
However, Bianca couldn’t help but notice that he still didn’t specify which tournament, something Magnolia seemed to pick up on as she raised one eyebrow.
“Well?” She snapped. “Which tournament? Monarch? Regional? Who can be the most vague, which is it?”
“Er, I don’t know yet,” Ash admitted, causing Leon to purse his lips and Magnolia to shake her head.
“Youth these days,” the woman muttered. “You’d better choose fast, sonny. I don’t care how many Championship titles you have under your belt; if you challenge the Monarch with an ‘I don’t know’ attitude, the only title you’re winning is Dumbest Trainer in the World. Leon, dangle those letters you have in front of them and see if you can’t get them properly motivated.”
At once, the professor turned and hobbled towards the court, leaving an amused group and gobsmacked Ash behind.
Hop chuckled and clapped Ash on the back. “Like Sonia said; firecracker. Now let’s go get those letters, yeah?”
“Y-yeah!” Ash said, quickly recovering as the two sprinted ahead, leaving the rest of them in the dust as they raced toward the court. Leon shook his head and chuckled, following shortly behind as he followed his brother and fellow champion to the battlefield.
Bianca had no idea how they managed to run with all that gear strapped to their backs, nor did she have any desire to try. No, she was perfectly content to walk the short distance, thank you very much—especially given how much was still weighing on her mind.
If Magnolia or Sonia had lingering questions about Alto Mare, they chose not to voice them. Whether out of luck or politeness, Bianca wasn’t sure, but she welcomed the silence as they crossed the remaining distance.
Once at the court, she carefully set her bag down next to where Hop and Ash placed theirs and turned her attention to the battle.
“You and Hop are going to battle to see if you’re truly worthy of that endorsement letter!”
As if you weren’t just going to give Ash one anyway, Bianca thought dryly.
She watched as the two boys grinned at each other before dashing to opposite ends of the court. But just as Ash was about to get into position, he hesitated, his expression shifting into a slight frown. Glancing at the professor, he asked, “Sobble has the type advantage, though. Is this fair?”
“Mate, if you’re worried about having the type advantage,” Hop began, pulling another ball out from behind his back. “I can always use my Wooloo on top of Scorbunny. He’s got a couple of years of basic training, but nothing too fancy, which means he should be a reasonable rival for a newbie.”
“A Wooloo, huh?” Ash cocked his head thoughtfully before looking down at his new Pokemon. “Whatcha think, Sobble? Think you can take two Pokemon in a row? Pikachu won’t be there to help you.”
“Pi?!” His mouse protested, his outraged expression making Bianca giggle.
Ash turned towards his Pokemon with a rueful grin. “Sorry, bud, but I don’t think it’s quite fair, unless you’re willing to hold back a whole bunch.”
“...Pika,” came the grumpy reply, the electric type looking annoyed as he sat back with a small puff of dirt.
“Just Sobble?” Hop asked with a raised eyebrow. “You sure you don’t want to use Pikachu, or any other Pokemon?”
Ash shook his head, making Pikachu slump in defeat. “Nope, Pikachu is a little too strong, and he doesn’t like holding back. Plus, I don’t carry any other Pokemon with me to a new region, just to keep things fresh.”
Hop stared for a moment then shrugged. “You’re strange, mate, but whatever floats your boat. Now, are you ready?” He asked, pulling a ball from behind him.
“Always,” Ash replied with an excited grin. “Sobble, you’re up!”
“S-sob!” The Pokemon chirped in surprise as joined his trainer.
“Closer to the center of the field, Sobble. About halfway from there to here,” Ash instructed gently, Sobble quickly adjusting his positioning.
Bianca couldn’t help but slowly nod at his calm and encouraging tone towards the young Pokemon, something she was sure the twins would approve of as well. However, that smile quickly turned into a scowl as both of their phones flew from their pockets and aimed themselves at the field without prompting. From what she could see on her own screen, it seemed they were recording the battle.
She had no idea why they decided to do that without any instructions from either of them, but complaining now wouldn’t accomplish anything. After all, she could try sending the video home so her grandfather and the twins could watch—as soon as she figured out how to do that.
Meanwhile, Hop nodded and threw the ball forward, releasing a large-ish white ball of wool onto the court and catching the now empty ball with a clearly practiced hand. Ash leaned forward with an intrigued smile before adopting an ever so slightly serious look.
Sonia and Magnolia stood back as Leon positioned himself at the edge of the field, raising an arm as he called out, “Both trainers, on my mark…begin!”
The man snapped his hand down, and Hop cheered, “Time for my first proper win. Wooloo, let’s get this started with a Tackle!”
“Woo!” The Pokemon bleated before curling itself up and rolling forward rapidly.
“Tackle, huh?” Ash mused for a moment, intently watching before grinning. “Pretty straightforward. Sobble, dodge to the side and use Tackle as well!”
The Pokemon managed to avoid being hit in the nick of time, jumping to the side of the oncoming wool sphere before leaping forward and bumping into Wooloo just as the larger Pokemon stopped. Unfortunately, it seemed the paltry attack didn’t faze it at all, the Wooloo barely jolting as it whirled around to face Sobble once more.
“Well, that didn’t work as planned,” Ash mused, not sounding concerned at all. “Alright, Sobble, let’s try something else.”
Bianca waited for him to elaborate, as did Sobble judging from his expectant look, but Ash merely stayed silent in anticipation of Hop’s next command.
Hop looked confused at the lack of movement, but shrugged and quickly ordered, “Alright, Wooloo, let’s go for Double Kick!”
“Move, Sobble!” Ash cried out to little avail, as while Wooloo failed to hit the first time, the second kick struck Sobble, sending the little guy tumbling towards Ash and making Bianca wince in sympathy.
That didn’t look ticklish, she noted grimly.
Her heart further ached for Sobble as he struggled to get up, looking up at Ash with tears threatening to fall from his large watery eyes. Bianca also glanced towards the trainer in the hopes he would do something, and was relieved to see he noticed Sobble’s state.
“Are you alright?” Ash asked with a concerned frown. “Can you continue, or would you like me to forfeit?”
Sobble hesitated for a moment before shaking his head, standing up straight and facing Wooloo. Ash smiled and nodded, before turning to Leon and asking, “Do we have to stay inside the court, or can we go a little bit outside of it?”
What a strange question, Bianca thought, not sure where Ash was going with this.
The man hesitated before responding, “I don’t see why not, just as long as neither Pokemon is running away.”
He was clearly curious to see what Ash had up his sleeve, and Bianca along with the two professors turned back to the trainer, just as intrigued.
What are you planning, Ash Ketchum?
“Alright, Sobble, get to the edge of the field and soak that dirt with a Water Gun!... Er, if you have Water Gun, that is,” Ash finished lamely, making Bianca snort while simultaneously deepening her confusion.
Huh?
Leon looked as perplexed as Bianca felt, although he said nothing as Sobble hesitated before obeying his trainer, the dirt turning to mud quickly as water gushed from his mouth.
Hop shook his head and said, “This is a Pokemon battle, not a mud-making contest! Flatten the little guy with Tackle, Wooloo, and keep at it.”
Wooloo quickly tucked itself back into a ball and raced towards Sobble, although with a swift command of “dodge!” from Ash, it missed. Still, Wooloo was determined to follow its trainer’s order and swiftly turned before launching another attack.
“Dodge again and start digging into the mud with your tail!” Ash commanded, further driving Bianca crazy. What was Ash planning? Hide Sobble until Wooloo becomes exhausted?
Still, the little blue Pokemon obeyed, shutting off his Water Gun and rapidly leaping to the side once more before scooping out globs of mud as quickly as he could, making surprising progress before Wooloo turned around for another pass.
“This is just wrong, mate,” Hop commented. “Finish this, Wooloo, keep on that Sobble!”
“Alright, Sobble, stand in front of that hole and wait for my command!” Ash quickly said, his Pokemon leaving the hole and staring at the ball of wool-bearing down on him with a shaking body.
A quick glance at the professors and world champ told Bianca that while they were concerned, they were curious to see how it would play out.
“Wait…”
Wooloo seemed to gain confidence and tucked itself tighter, increasing his speed. However, it seemed this only played into Ash’s hand, as the trainer grinned and shouted, “Jump straight over Wooloo!”
What?!
“Sob!” The little Pokemon cried as he did, leaping over the rolling Pokemon just as the Wooloo slammed straight into the hole..and bounced?!
“Huh?!” Hop gaped as he watched, Bianca similarly stunned.
She gawked as the rolling Pokemon became airborne, only for Ash to call out, “Alright, Water Gun!”
“Sob-BLE!” The Pokemon cried as he landed before turning to the gravity-defying Pokemon and spitting out yet another jet of water.
The attack was launched towards Wooloo and hit it squarely on the side, causing it to unfurl itself just before hitting the ground on its back with a thud, letting out a wheeze as all the breath was driven from its body.
It didn’t get up after that, and Leon raised a hand towards Ash in command to wait as he inspected the Wooloo, announcing a moment later, “Wooloo is unable to battle! Sobble is the winner!
“Alright, good job, Sobble!” Ash cheered, making the surprised Pokemon cry out happily as he skittered over to his trainer.
“Sob!”
“You did good, Wooloo,” Hop said, recalling the fainted Pokemon back, turning towards Ash with a shake of his head. “Where did you ever pick up a strategy like that, mate?”
“I’d like to know that, too,” Bianca muttered, still processing the battle. “What on earth possessed you to tell Sobble to dig a hole, and how did you know it would work?”
Ash grinned as he crouched down, giving his Pokemon a few pats on the head. “Funny story, I actually used the same strategy in one of my gym battles a long time ago. Whitney’s Miltank used an attack called ‘Rollout’, and she was a monster. Pikachu led her to a trench, launching her up into the air, and finishing her with a Thunderbolt.”
As Bianca stared at him in amazement, Leon laughed heartily and said, “Ash, the amount of trainers in this world that would even think to use something like that, much less make it work could probably be counted on one hand.”
“I gotta agree with you there, Lee, that was wild,” Hop chimed in with a smile. “I’ve been training Wooloo for a couple years now, only to get embarrassed by a newbie Pokemon with the most absurd tactic ever. Still,” he said as he pulled out another ball, “reckon Sobble can continue? ‘Cuz Scorbunny here has yet to battle, and I’d like her to get some experience.”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“What do you think, can you continue?” Ash asked, looking down at Sobble. The formerly timid Pokemon seemed to have gained more confidence and gave a swift nod, making Ash smile as he looked up at Hop. “Looks like you’re still on. Alright, Sobble, ready up!”
“Sob!”
“Scorbunny, you’re up!” Hop cried out, throwing his Pokeball and releasing the Pokemon out into the field. She didn’t say a word, only getting into a ready position with a glum expression.
I really hope she doesn’t become a problem for him, Bianca thought, mildly concerned for Hop’s future as a trainer. While he still had a Wooloo, she didn’t think it was a great omen if his first official Pokemon wasn’t too fond of her trainer.
“We’re up against a really wild pair, Scorbunny, be on your toes,” Hop warned, his Pokemon giving a small nod in return. “Use Tackle!”
“Bun!” His Pokemon cried out, lunging forward with a glare at Sobble.
“Quick, dodge to the right!” Ash ordered, and although Sobble gave it his best effort, Scorbunny was just too fast, and hit her fellow Pokemon full force.
Ash frowned as his new Pokemon was hit, stumbling back until he was mere feet in front of his trainer. “Are you alright, Sobble?”
“S-Sob!”
While he looked increasingly concerned for his little battler, the trainer slowly nodded, clenching his fist determined as he called out, “Alright, if you say so. Now, use Water Gun!”
“Sidestep that, Scorbunny, and go in for another Tackle!”
----------------------------------------
Pipsqueak ain’t doing too bad, Pikachu remarked to himself, observing the battle alongside the humans. Of course, I would have finished this in an instant, but not bad for a meek rookie.
“Use Water Gun and spin!” His trainer called out as Scorbunny lunged forward, intent on planting her foot in her rival’s face.
The command gave all but Pikachu pause, confusion befitting those who hadn’t watched the trainer and his Pokemon battle before. Hop didn’t even order Scorbunny to stop, he just twisted his face and asked, “Mate, what kind of—woah!”
His hesitation proved to be a mistake when Sobble obeyed in a moment of faith, turning around and around as fast as he could and spraying the surrounding area in obscene quantities of water. Scorbunny did her best to avoid it, but as she was a rookie herself, she was unable to perform any advanced mid-air movements and got hit square in the face as a result.
“That worked…?” Hop said in disbelief, only to shake his head and say, “Alright, Scorbunny, let's take this guy out before he does any more damage! Tackle!”
“Yeah, alr-RIGHT!” The fire-type began to say as she once more attempted to shoot forward, only to grunt as her paws slipped on the now-slick ground, causing her to face-plant.
Pikachu shook his head, knowing the battle was over even before Ash called out, “Finish with one last Water Gun!”
Scorbunny didn’t even bother trying to get out of the way this time, and the look of defeat was the last thing seen on her face before it was blocked out by a jet of water. When the torrent stopped, the unfortunate Pokemon was knocked out cold.
Good job, both of you.
“Scorbunny is unable to battle!” Leon called out with a raised peace sign. “Ash is the winner!”
You don’t say.
“That was great, Sobble!” Bianca cheered, looking highly impressed with the battle. “You were amazing!”
Sobble managed to not look miserable long enough to beam at the artist in appreciation, only for his face to slowly melt back to its default position of looking horrified at being born into this world at all.
Everyone then moved forward to congratulate the two trainers on their performance.
“So good!” The not-Misty redhead squealed. “For first-time battlers, Sobble and Scorbunny did so well!”
“That tends to happen when a Champion and Champion’s brother are their trainers,” the older woman remarked as she adjusted her glasses, earning an agreeing snort from Pikachu. “That being said, I don’t think I’ve seen tactics like that used.”
The two brothers laughed in unison as the youngest recalled Scorbunny, tucking the ball away as he shook his head in wonder. “You’re telling me. Here I thought I had a plan, but you trounced us!” Hop said, not looking peeved in the slightest as he said this, instead grinning as he held out his hand to Ash. “You’re simply built different, mate.”
Pikachu rolled his eyes as his trainer ducked his head at the compliment, shaking Hop’s hand even as he attempted to downplay himself. “Thanks, Hop! But truthfully, Sobble did all the work.”
The mouse didn’t have to look at Bianca to feel the disbelief pouring out of her, although he had to admit the raised eyebrow really added to it.
You’d better get used to it, Pikachu snorted to himself as he got up and clambered up to his rightful perch on Ash’s shoulder, although he somewhat regretted this as Ash’s entire body was jolted by Leon’s hand coming down on his unoccupied shoulder.
“Whether it was all Sobble or not, that was still a marvelous battle,” the man said brightly, smiling as he similarly grasped Hop. “Victory was only achieved because you directed him. You may have had the type advantage against Scorbunny, but Wooloo is still more experienced than either of them. Yet, Sobble still came out on top. That’s not easily ignored…”
Pikachu tilted his head as the man trailed off, letting go of both boys’ shoulders and reaching into…his cape?
A few moments later, the man was presenting the two trainers with envelopes and an even wider smile as he announced, “That’s why I am endorsing both of you. From this point onward, unless you demonstrate otherwise, you have earned the right to compete in the official League. Well done, both of you!”
“Awesome! Thanks a bunch!” Ash exclaimed with a grin, glancing at Pikachu and then Sobble as he held up the envelope. “We did it, guys! We’re endorsed!”
“Yeah, I’m not deaf, but good job,” Pikachu remarked, looking closely at the wax-sealed object. When on earth did Leon have the time to do that?
Meanwhile, Sobble merely looked up with his wide eyes and open mouth, presumably seeing horrors beyond comprehension somewhere behind them.
At the same time, Hop was surprisingly hesitant about his endorsement letter, looking down at it with a small frown. “Are you sure about this, Lee? I lost pretty badly.”
“You lost against the Alola Champion,” Leon reminded him, not noticing Pikachu looking smug about that fact. “Many people would lose against him with better teams. But I wasn’t looking for a victory; I was looking for spirit.”
That made Hop look up at his brother, Ash tilting his head as Leon continued, “It is easy to lose heart after a loss-”
Pikachu looked pointedly at Ash, who ducked his head upon feeling Pikachu’s withering stare.
“-and yet, despite losing your experienced Pokemon, you pressed forward without hesitation.”
Leon continued, not having noticed the exchange as he spoke to his brother. “I’ve seen trainers twice your age buckle under far better odds, yet you did not. That is what I want to see from trainers, and that is why I’m endorsing you.”
What a motivational speaker, Pikachu thought to himself, although he wouldn’t ever deny it didn’t do the job. Hop was looking considerably happier, finally taking the proffered envelope as before, and hugging Leon.
“With that kind of talk, I’d be crazy to refuse,” the trainer said with a grin. “Thanks, Lee! I won’t let you down!”
“I doubt you could,” came Leon’s reply, ruffling his brother’s hair before turning to the two women who were not Bianca. “Now, Son—Professor Sonia,” he quickly corrected himself, earning a coy smile and eye roll from the woman. “Now that these two are endorsed, I think it’s time we—”
“Yarf!” A bark interrupted the man as a yellow-brown canine-looking thing shot around the side of the house and bolted towards Leon, jumping up on his leg and looking up with a heavily wagging tail, painting away as though just finishing a marathon. It, or rather he by the looks of it, looked about as dopey as they come, and the bolt-shaped tail with yellow fluff around his neck told Pikachu that whatever this Pokemon was, it shared his typing.
“Hey, Yamps!” The man greeted with a grin as he knelt down and gently petted the…Yamps. “Good to see you again! I hope you’ve been staying out of trouble.”
“Yarf!”
“How about you go meet my new friends, yeah?”
Is “Yamps” seriously the species name? Or is it just a nickname or something? Pikachu thought as the electric canine bound up to the foreigners and circled around them, sniffing away with a wagging tail and acting as if Ash turned into a dog and ingested about twenty cups of pure sugar.
“Wow, that’s a cool Pokemon!” His raven-haired trainer exclaimed as he knelt down to get a closer look, although the canine had already moved on to Bianca who had little to no reaction beyond simple curiosity.
When “Yamps” finally got to him, still panting despite the very mild temperature, Pikachu finally attempted to greet him.
“Er, hello—”
“Greetings, travellers!” The canine suddenly said, making Pikachu flinch at the unreasonably deep voice. “I am the Yamper of Postwick. Have you seen any skyscrapers nearby?”
Pikachu stared for a solid couple of seconds before replying, “...No. Why would you—?”
“No reason,” the Yamper interrupted, only to turn and face North as he continued, “Legend has it that far over those mountains, there is a city containing the tastiest wires.” The Yamper faced him and finished, “Go there travellers, and I will fry the building of your choice!”
Pikachu was quite honestly taken aback and had absolutely nothing to say to this.
Fortunately, Hop unintentionally came to the rescue, kneeling down and beckoning the Yamper with a short laugh, “Hey, Yamper! I’m here too, yeah?”
“Greetings, Uncle Hop!” Yamper said as he swiftly turned and ran towards the trainer as fast as his short little legs could go. Pikachu could only watch as the two greeted one another, the human having no understanding of what was coming out of the canine’s mouth. “You simply must tell me about skyscrapers, Uncle Hop!”
Sonia giggled as she watched. “Glad to see Leon back as well, Yamper? You know, I wouldn’t mind if you’d kept him around while everyone else starts off on their journey.”
That seemed to bring the conversation back on track as the aforementioned man quickly cleared his throat and stood up. “Er, right, maybe after…where was I?” Leon floundered with a flustered expression, recovering a moment later. “Ah, yes. Mind covering your end before they head off?”
Sonia merely smiled wider, shooting him a wink as she said, “Oh, you want to dump them in my hands so you can run off and play ‘Champion’ some more? And not even any personal goodbyes, either.”
The display was almost enough to make Pikachu vomit, and Bianca looked similarly disturbed.
While Hop struggled not to laugh, Ash, poor, hopeless Ash, was as confused as ever, although he had just enough brainpower to not question why Leon flushed and pointedly looked away from the woman.
“Er, not at all!” The man tried to say, waving his hands in an unconvincing manner. “I just think you’re better at this kind of thing, that’s all!”
While Sonia delivered another smooth response, Pikachu was thinking about how similar Leon and Ash were, while also not being the same in the slightest.
The former was, of course, their battle prowess, but also their mannerisms, appetite, sense of direction, et cetera, et cetera.
The biggest thing separating the two, however, was their romantic awareness. While it was clearly obvious to Leon that Sonia was interested in him, Ash, on the other hand….
Well, Ash wouldn’t be able to detect a romantic interest in him if it followed him after destroying a bike, cosplayed as a cheerleader for him, gave him a goodbye kiss, or stared at him with the greatest expression of admiration a rich girl could give someone. And none of this accounted for every other in-between lady his age between Kanto and Alola. Pikachu had yet to decide if this was simply Wailord-sized levels of obliviousness or simply a side effect of being so obsessed with Pokemon and battles that his brain simply didn’t have the capacity to focus on anything else.
Maybe if I can communicate with him that getting a girlfriend will help him become a Pokemon Master, he’ll actually get one, Pikachu thought as he focused back on the conversation at hand.
“—And here’s a list of all the berries that both taste good and probably won’t kill you if you eat them!” Sonia cheerfully said as her pink-encased phone hovered near Ash’s and Bianca’s, earning a squint from the electric mouse. “I’d also give you some recipes, but I’m sure Mom already gave you plenty.”
The statement was enough to confuse the foreigners for all of one second, ending upon seeing Hop laugh and Leon flush in embarrassment.
Wait, did she really just…oh, this is gold!
Pikachu watched with a grin as Leon tried to push it aside, nodding and clearing his throat before saying, “Er, yes, she did. The only issue is maintaining their ingredients, of course, but there are countless bushes and trees out there, not to mention the wandering merchants. However, these merchants aren’t afraid to up and move at a moment’s notice, so remember that in case you plan on doubling back and find that one is gone.”
“Got it,” Ash and Hop said in unison, while Bianca merely nodded in understanding.
“Make sure to go over the power spots as well,” Professor Magnolia said, prompting Pikachu to remember that she existed. “Last thing we need is for a gigantic Snorlax to roll them over on the first day.”
Bianca laughed nervously at that, asking in a decidedly less amused voice, “That should be easy enough to avoid, though, right?”
“You’d be amazed,” the professor grunted, tapping her cane against the ground, “if not also a bloody stain. Power spots can sprout nearly anywhere in the Wild Area, which is why there are so few buildings and such in it. You’ll never know when you’re on top of one until that cute little Pokemon that’s been with you your whole life suddenly becomes larger than a house right on top of you.”
Both Ash and Bianca looked very alarmed at this, and although Pikachu thought growing larger than a house sounded thrilling, he shared their nervousness; he wouldn’t want to crush his trainer any more than his trainer wanted to be crushed.
“But that’s rare!” Leon quickly said upon seeing their expressions. “It’s almost never strong enough for that to happen-”
“Almost?”
“-and what Magnolia said isn’t entirely…” The man trailed off as his elder gave him a fierce expression, and he quickly scrapped whatever death sentence he was about to bring upon himself. “Erm, anyway, while power spots can appear anywhere, you’ll be able to know it by a purplish-pink glow in the immediate area. They aren’t that big, so even if it dropped right on top of you, you’d still have at least a few seconds to get away before it becomes a problem.”
“A few seconds?!” Ash squeaked, looking even more alarmed. “That’s barely any time at all!”
Sonia shrugged with a small smile. “Maybe not, but the odds of that happening to you are astronomically small. The Wild Area is so large, and the power spots so few and far between, that one forming right on top of anyone is practically unheard of. You should also know that wild Pokemon have developed the sense to get out of the area before one forms, in order to both avoid causing destruction and avoid it. However, the danger is there, and some Pokemon don’t know better or choose to be Dynamaxed, which is why you’re being warned.”
While the foreigners had somewhat relaxed, Hop had remained unfazed the entire time, looking politely bored throughout the warning. Either he had been warned beforehand, or he was an idiot, and Pikachu wasn’t sure the Wild Area was ready for two idiots. Or vice versa.
“Fortunately, there’s a bit of good news,” Sonia said as she clasped her hands together. “Those power bands Leon gave you will grant you the ability to draw in the Dynamax energy from the area and direct it towards one of your Pokeballs. Not only will it allow you to somewhat control the Dynamaxing, but it should also help reduce the energy in the area. Not by a lot, but enough to prevent any Pokemon or people from having to deal with it for a while. Just take care not to abuse it; the Wild Area is still home to many Pokemon, and I don’t know anyone who would want to be stepped on.”
There was a moment of silence before Ash said, “What power bands?”
Leon blinked, then let out a sheepish laugh as he reached into his coat pocket. “Oh, right! Guess I forgot to actually give them to you.”
Hop groaned, throwing his hands in the air. “Seriously, Lee? You had one job!”
Pikachu watched as Leon ignored his brother’s dramatics, fishing out two odd-looking bands and holding them up for Ash and Hop to see. The bands were stretchy and lightweight, with a black rectangle that appeared to be the only solid part of the entire band.
Ash’s eyes lit up as he eagerly took his, turning it over in his hands. “So this will let my Pokémon Dynamax.
“That’s the idea,” Leon confirmed. “As long as there’s enough energy in the area, these bands will channel it straight into your Pokéball, allowing your Pokémon to Dynamax properly.”
Hop grinned as he fastened his around his wrist. “Now this is what I’m talking about! Just wait until I get to show this off in a battle!”
Pikachu eyed the band warily as he climbed up his trainer’s body, perching on his shoulder to get a closer look as Ash placed the band around his wrist.
The trainer stared at it for a moment before looking up as Leon said in a warning tone, “Just remember—Dynamaxing is a huge responsibility. It’s powerful, but it’s not just for showing off. Use it wisely.”
“Got it.”
“Understood, Lee!”
“Skyscrapers!”
Pikachu ignored Yamper, still thinking about the implications and possibilities of the bands. While they looked kind of ugly, if they prevented him or any Pokemon from stomping Ash and Bianca underfoot, then he’d gladly take safety over fashion.
Still, Annie and Oakley would have a heart attack seeing those, he snorted to himself, wondering if the pair were enjoying their time behind bars.
“Hold on,” Bianca interjected as she leaned forward with a frown. “If these power spots can appear anywhere, then how do the stadiums keep the ability to…to ‘Dynamax’ Pokemon?”
Pikachu took the time to praise Arceus for giving them a companion that could pay attention before raptly listening to Magnolia’s explanation.
“Good question,” the woman said approvingly as she adjusted her glasses. “For starters, the power spots in the Wild Area and the ones in the stadiums differ in a couple of ways, the main being the quantity and quality of energy. The energy in the Wild Area is sparse and unstable, accumulating at random. Or so we believe.”
“Yup!” Sonia took over, earning a stink-eye from her grandmother. “And the power spots in the stadiums are concentrated and purer, allowing for more stable and numerous Dynamaxing. The energy there never goes away, and while it can be somewhat depleted, it always regenerates!”
Ash and Bianca both frowned, the former scratching his head as he asked, “It never runs out? How does that work?”
“We’re still trying to figure that out,” Magnolia admitted. “We have no idea how it works, only that it does. The amount of information we do know about this energy is…frustratingly little, and a lot of it comes from old legends rather than scientific studies.”
“Legends?” Ash asked eagerly, earning an annoyed look from Pikachu and an amused one from Bianca.
Unfortunately for Ash, the professor brushed him off, saying, “We won’t be getting into that, sonny. We’ll be here all day if we do, and the sooner you start your journey, the better.”
“That is true,” Leon said as he clapped his hands. “And on that note, I do think you three should get on that. The train station can take you to the Wild Area and drop you off. After that…well, you’re on your own! Until you get to Motostoke, that is.”
Hop grinned as he put his hands on his hips. “That eager to get rid of me, Lee?”
“Of course not!” His brother refuted with a shake of his head. “But if I don’t push you now, I might just cry.”
He said this in a joking manner, but Pikachu had been alive long enough to somewhat detect how someone was feeling from the tone of their voice, and there was certainly a level of sadness in there; Leon might actually cry.
“Hop can take care of himself, you know,” Sonia said confidently. “He might even go a few seconds without tripping on a branch. As for Ash and Bianca…well, I’m sure the Alola Champion won’t let anything happen to his lovely lady.”
Pikachu had to choke back a laugh at the sight of Bianca scowling with a flushed face. She was most likely highly annoyed at the repeated insinuations, but at least she didn’t have a Miette situation on her hands, a woman who made it a point to harass that somewhat annoying Kalosian companion of theirs every time they showed up.
However, the teases and insinuations wouldn’t stop if Ash continued to do as he does, which is to say, nothing at all. Instead, he nodded and replied, “For sure! Besides, she can always catch a Pokemon later that can help out.”
“Which isn’t a guarantee,” Bianca sharply commented, which didn’t do her any favors in refuting Sonia’s comment, nor did the follow-up sentence. “In any case, I don’t plan on straying off in some region I’ve never been to, so I don’t mind sticking by a giant Pikachu.”
As though I needed to be a giant to defend anyone, he sniffed, although still appreciating her faith in his ability to protect, no matter how pretentious it might have seemed.
“Great!” Sonia said happily. “With that, I have something of a plan in mind; I can take you to the Wild Area myself. There are still some things I need to go over with you anyway, and it’ll give you a bit of a head start.”
At once, every Galarian who wasn’t Sonia and the panting Yamper collectively shuddered, looking as though they were staring their demise in the face.
Naturally, Ash didn’t notice or care and gratefully said, “Really? Thanks a bunch!”
Pikachu watched as Hop turned to look at Ash with a haunted expression. “Mate, you don’t-”
“-want to talk all the way, wait for a train, and get to the Wild Area with barely any daylight remaining?” Sonia finished for him, probably incorrectly if the brothers’ expressions were any indication. “Cuz I certainly wouldn’t! Plus I might remember some stuff along the way, so there’s that, too.”
Hop turned to Leon, eyes begging for help. The eldest looked torn for a moment before sighing in defeat, “She…has a point. Just please try not to kill them on the way there. I don’t want to have to explain to Ash’s and Bianca’s families why I knowingly allowed them in a car with you behind the steering wheel, and I happen to love my kid brother very much.”
Now, Pikachu considers himself to be a very hardy Pokemon. He’s taken near drownings, attacks from aspects of the world itself, and been witness to Ash fumble many potential mates. However, if the strongest trainer in the world (for the time being) didn’t like the idea of something, then perhaps they could walk to the train station, after all.
Looking similarly distressed, Hop turned from his treacherous brother to Ash and Bianca. “We can’t get in that car with her,” he pleaded. “Trust me, walking is better.”
“You cheeky brat!”
“Well,” Ash mused, ignoring Sonia’s squawk of protest, “as much as I don’t mind another train ride to the Wild Area, I’d rather Bianca not start off her journey with barely any time to learn how to set up a tent and stuff. We should accept Sonia’s offer.”
The artist was Hop’s last hope, only for the light to die in his eyes as Bianca sealed their fate.
“Bold of you to assume I can’t set up a tent,” She remarked with an arched eyebrow. “But you aren’t wrong; I’d rather have as much time in the sun as we can get before nightfall hits. Besides, we dealt with that sentient car. How bad could it possibly be?”
----------------------------------------
As it turned out, it was quite bad.
After a few more tips and tricks and a rather tearful goodbye between Hop and Leon (mostly from the latter), the trainers and artist all piled their things into the trunk and got in after Sonia, only for all three to quickly regret it as the woman defied all logic by driving towards every object and missing it ways that left their stomachs back in Postwick.
Bianca barely had time to brace herself before their driver (a word she used loosely here) jerked the steering wheel far harder than was required, swerving to avoid a fence that wouldn’t have necessitated such a maneuver if Sonia had just stayed on the road.
Me and my stupid mouth, she seethed, not pleased with the rather alarming sounds of packs and items slamming to and fro in the trunk. Gramps, Latios, Latias…I’m sorry that I didn’t get the chance to call you before getting into a car with this woman.
Quite possibly the worst part was that they probably hadn’t even gotten to the worst part; the erratic driving they were currently experiencing was a death omen for when there were actual obstacles in the way. Their only respite was when the road straightened out, and Sonia finally stopped over-compensating for minor objects.
During this period of relative tranquility, nothing was spoken for several minutes as the passengers recovered and reconsidered their life choices. It was only broken by Ash as he asked in a tentative voice, “So…you and Leon are childhood friends, huh?”
?!?
“Yup!” Sonia cheerfully replied. “We go way back to before he started his own League challenge. He wasn’t very good at first. Failed the first gym several times, while the rest of us cruised on by. Even after that, he struggled to get wins, up until I told him something. Then he became better quite fast. He must’ve taken it to heart, because up until recently, he’s been determined to stay at the top.”
“What did you say?” Bianca asked curiously, hoping to get her mind off of the doom to come.
Her question was met with a playful smile and wink (scaring the artist, given the professor’s short yet dangerous track record of driving), replying, “That’s a secret for me and Leon to know! And Hop as well, I suppose.”
A moment later, Hop responded, “And don’t think you’ll be able to get it out of me, either. I just got endorsed, and I don’t want Lee to backtrack that.”
“That…sounds kinda serious,” Bianca remarked with a frown, wondering what kind of secret would warrant Hop’s fear over his own brother reversing his decision.
“Serious?” Sonia giggled as she bit her lip. “Well, I guess. But I promise it’s not bad, just…oh, you’ll learn one day, I’m sure. Speaking of…” The woman brushed her hair back, revealing an earpiece that matched her little hair clips. “Rotom, call Jacq for me please.”
…eh?
At the same time Bianca registered the fact that their rather terrible driver was making a phone call, she noticed the road start to get rather bumpy and significantly curvier, which was a nightmare combination that only the Rocket invaders and sapient automobiles could hope to compete with.
“Hey, Jacqy! Long time no hear!” Sonia happily said, ignoring Hop’s cursing as the car gradually accelerated, perfectly mirroring Bianca’s anxiety. “Mmm, doesn’t matter. That only applies if I see you, yeah? Anyway, how’s Miriam, sweety? Still not falling for your charms?”
At this point, the road had transitioned to grass and dirt, which was to say that they were now no longer on any road at all. Their driver was either not paying attention, didn’t care, or some hellish combination of the two as the woman continued to talk on the phone.
“Oh, that’s a shame,” she said empathetically as she casually dodged a tree. “I wouldn’t think too much of it, though. Some women like to get the measure of a man before opening up the possibility of a relationship. Some might not even know they want to date before the man comes along and changes her mind, and let me tell you this; that only happens when the man is his honest self.”
Great, Bianca was going to die listening to sound relationship advice. Good job, me.
Outside of the cursing emanating from the backseat, Sonia was silent for a few moments as she navigated the terrain with all the grace of Latias after accidentally consuming fermented berries, yet somehow with none of the repercussions.
With one yank of the wheel, they were beside a set of train tracks, only for the woman to drive over them to the other side. “Well, if all else fails, just go for the good old fashioned Galar trick and give her an Applin,” she finally said as though she hadn’t just committed what was probably a crime. “I know you have those in Paldea, and I’m willing to bet they’re easier to get.”
A moment later, Sonia scoffed and said, “No! Go out and catch an Applin! That’s -...What do you mean, it’s not like that in Paldea? Just get her one anyway, doofus!” She insisted in an exasperated tone. “Girls like gifts, trust me!”
“An Appli-Woah!” Ash began to question, only to yelp as they dodged yet another tree, nearly flattening Bianca against the car door as she gritted her teeth.
Of all the things to be concerned about? Bianca seethed as they weaved between trees with supernatural accuracy, the side effect being the side-to-side G-forces she had little luck counteracting. It became bad enough that she stared down at her legs just so she could avoid a tree potentially being the last thing she ever saw before death.
From what she could hear from the backseat, the boys weren’t having a much better time. Hop was once more cursing under his breath as his shoulder slammed into Ash, quickly apologizing, “Sorry, mate!”
“Not your fault,” Ash replied, sounding to Bianca like an insinuation that it was certainly someone’s fault.
The someone in question simply continued blabbering, “She’s trying to become a nurse, right? Well, how about– Oh, we’re just about here!”
Bianca looked up and immediately regretted it, the crest of a hill being the last thing she saw before the ground disappeared beneath them, leaving them airborne for a solid couple of seconds before the wheels finally made contact with the ground again, and it was only through great fortune that Bianca didn’t knock herself out on the dashboard.
She was nearly knocked out once again when Sonia stomped on the brakes right as she swerved, causing a rather unfortunate spin that made Bianca’s stomach feel funny before they finally came to a stop.
As the passengers recovered, Sonia brightly announced, “Well, that was exciting! I promised you; my plan was a complete success!”
“You call that a success?” Ash groaned as he peeled his face off of the seat in front of him.
“What’s worse is she called it a plan,” came Bianca’s hiss. “Hop, I apologize for not taking your warning seriously.”
Hop didn’t reply, and a quick glance to the rearview revealed this was due to the fact that he was holding a hand over his mouth. The trainer held up a weak thumbs up instead, earning a scoff from their driver.
“Oh, you are all so dramatic,” Sonia admonished. “We got here safe and sound, didn’t we? Jacq, I’ll call you back later, m’kay?...Great, thanks. Toodles!” Ending the call, their driver glanced at them and announced, “Alright, everyone out! I’ve got a couple things to go over, and I’m not doing it in here.”
Good, cuz I don’t want to risk throwing up in the car, Bianca internally grumbled as she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door and eased her way out, only to sway in place. She was forced to latch on to the door as her body reacclimated to not being tossed around like a toy.
The boys were not so coordinated, and immediately fell out of the car upon being freed from it, letting out twin grunts of pain and an annoyed chirp from Pikachu.
Somewhat to Bianca’s annoyance, Sonia was the only one not affected at all, getting out of the car with ease and pulling out a pink heart-themed phone as she began monologuing.
“Alright, we’ve gone over power spots, edible plants and berries…” the woman listed as her former passengers attempted to recover, only to perk up. “Ah, we didn’t go over the merchants like we should’ve. It’ll take a little too long to give you all of it, but the merchants can trade food, items and other things for either watts or the standard currency-”
A watt?
“-but they also move, so I’ll be giving you map markers of where they tend to go,” Sonia continued. “It’s not 100% accurate, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Thank you,” Ash somehow managed to say as he rose to his feet. Again, his phone freed itself from his pocket without a word of command and flew near Sonia’s phone, a ding sounding a moment later before Hop’s and Bianca’s phones did the same.
As Bianca’s phone flew back towards her, Sonia continued to speak, “I’ve also gone ahead and shared my contact information with all of you, in case you need it. I’m not opposed to questions, but remember that I’m a professor at heart; I won’t always be available. That’s why you should exchange info with each other as well, if you’re planning on traveling separately or get split up or what have you.”
Hop’s phone was then approached by the other two new ones, and after twin dings, all flew back to their respective owners.
The professor looked between them with contemplative eyes. “Hmm, I feel like there’s something else…oh! Do try and avoid the regional guardians if you can? They are too strong for you as you are, with the only exception being Ash and his Pikachu. Even then, be careful.”
“Alright,” Bianca said slowly. “What do these guardians look like?”
“Oh, they’re nothing special, outside of their strength,” Sonia “reassured” her. “They’re just normal Pokemon that happen to protect their areas. Very resistant to capture because of it. I know there’s an Onyx in a couple miles, but he generally lets people pass by…if they’re willing to be quick enough, that is.”
This was something Bianca was more than willing to comply with, as getting smashed by a large rope composed entirely of stone was not on her list of things she wished to experience.
“What else, what else—POKEDEXES!” Sonia suddenly shouted, making them all flinch. “I can’t believe I forgot to give you those. Gather around, Rotoms.”
“Man, that was close,” Ash laughed nervously as the phones grouped together for the umpteenth time. “To think we almost went without the most important part of the journey!”
Bianca was positive that a Pokedex wasn’t the most important part of the journey, but then again, who was she to argue against an expert?
“Yeah, yeah,” Sonia commented with a wave of her hand several dings later. “It’s not like a phone call or text wouldn’t have gotten you access…although the download speed isn’t exactly stellar out there.”
Hop was still wobbly on his feet as he hobbled over to the trunk and opened it to retrieve his stuff, muttering all the while, “This journey isn’t starting off too stellar.”
Bianca also moved to fetch her belongings, stifling a laugh at Sonia’s indignant squawk, “Oi! I still have ears, you cheeky brat!”
“And yet you still fail to listen to us when we beg you to take proper driving lessons,” came the trainer’s retort, making Bianca’s fight to maintain a neutral face all the harder. Ash was less concerned, smiling while looking like he heavily agreed as he put his arms through the straps of his pack and secured it.
“Oh, I’m so telling Leon and Magnolia about this,” Sonia pouted, only earning a good natured eye-roll from Hop.
“I can guarantee you they’d agree with me,” he said, nonetheless holding his arms out in a hug. “That being said, I am going to miss you, Prof.”
That made the woman tear up as she accepted the gesture, squeezing the boy tightly and sniffling, “I’m going to miss you, too. I remember when I first saw you as a baby, and now I’m sending you off as a baby League participant.”
“I can battle!” Hop protested as they pulled apart. “I’m a League toddler, at least.”
Sonia laughed as she wiped a tear from her eye. “Fine. League toddler, then. Go out there and kick some butt, Hop. Leon and I will be cheering you on. As for you two,” the woman said, turning to them. “I’m super stoked to have met not just the first Champion of a region, but also a native to Alto Mare. Sorry-not-sorry, but I’ll be blowing up your phone once in a while to learn more about your home. Oh, and I’ll make sure to contact you in regards to getting in touch with your hometown, too. If not by a professor, then probably by their local nurse.”
“Thank you so much,” she practically sagged in relief, while also being amazed that Sonia picked up on and remembered what she had said. “I’ve been really worried about that. And thank you for all your help in getting us started, and…er, the drive here as well. I’ll do my best to answer any…almost any question you have about the city, too.”
“Yeah, thanks!” Ash added with Pikachu giving an affirming nod. “Now we have just what we need to start this off without a hitch, right buddy? Bianca?”
“Pi!”
“Sure.”
Sonia’s eyes threatened to tear up once again as she clasped her hands together. “Oh, you two…I think I’m starting to see what Leon sees in you. I wish you luck as well, and may you get far in your League!”
With that, the woman got back in her car, waving at them one more time before peeling off, once more avoiding everything in front of her in a way that probably defied physics to an unnatural degree.
“I swear, when Leon finally pulls his head out of his arse and marries that woman, he’d better be in charge of transportation.” Hop said with a snort while hobbling over to sit on a tree root. “At least until she learns how to properly drive and not play matchmaker while doing so.”
Bianca could only nod in agreement, looking away from the dissipating dust cloud left behind by the vehicle. As kind as that woman was, if she ever had to get back into a car with her, it would be too soon.
“Yeah, that wasn’t fun,” Ash agreed as he stood and stretched despite the pack on his shoulders, looking surprisingly calm. “How did we manage to get two bad drivers in two days?”
“Beats me,” Bianca snorted as she adjusted her things. “I can’t help but wonder which one was worse; the self-driving car, or her.”
Hop shook his head as he lightly. “I don’t know anything about self-driving cars, but I promise that nothing is worse than Sonia when it comes to driving.”
Bianca actually laughed at that, although less so as the boy grunted, “Oh, I think I might actually get sick…. Why did my babysitter ever have to get a car? How did she get a car?”
“Or a phone, for that matter,” Bianca remarked. “What was she even talking about with that Jacq guy? What’s an Applin?”
Hop looked up with a pained grin as he replied, “A Pokemon, if you can believe it. Cute little fellows, they are. You can catch ‘em, train ‘em, and evolve ‘em. Or, you can gift it…you can gift it to someone who-”
That was about as far as Hop got before his stomach finally let its displeasure be known, the unfortunate boy violently throwing to the side, apologizing as he recovered, “Ah, sorry about that…”.
Bianca grimaced and turned away from the sight, and Ash leaned in and asked in a concerned voice, “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Mostly,” Hop replied, spitting a chunk out of his mouth. “Bloody hell, there goes my breakfast. Hate to say it, but I don’t think I’ll be traveling for another hour yet. That ride was worse than I thought, and I’ll probably fall over if I take another step. I should have taken the train, heh.”
I really messed up, didn’t I? Bianca thought with a wince, apologizing with a sigh, “I really am sorry. If I-”
“Nothing to be sorry for,” Hop waved her off good-naturedly. “No one forced me into that car other than me and my own pride. You two should go on ahead before it gets dark and get those tents of yours set up.”
“Are you sure?” Ash asked as he glanced up at the sky. “We still have a few hours left, I think—”
“Mate,” Hop said with a grin, “if your lass there is as fresh as you two claim, she’s gonna need as much time learning as she can get. I’ve been camping before, so I know a few tips and tricks of my own. I’ll be fine, trust me.”
Ash hesitated, exchanging glances with Bianca before looking back at Hop and nodding. “Well, alright. If you’re really gonna be fine, then…I guess we’ll be on our way. But if you need us, don’t hesitate to call, you hear?”
Bianca blinked in surprise, having not expected a serious tone like that from him. Sure, during the crisis in Alto Mare, it had been understandable. But even with something as simple as camping, his voice made it abundantly clear he met every word. After being led this entire time by a carefree Growlithe-esque trainer, seeing him willing to step into a more responsible and mature role was…
Well, Bianca wasn’t quite sure yet. But it wasn’t unwelcome, she was certain of that much.
“Shouldn’t be necessary, but I won’t turn it down anyway,” Hop replied with an appreciative smile. “If anything, I’ll probably be contacting you just to make sure you don’t stray off the path too far.”
“I might need that more than you think, I’m terrible with navigation,” Ash admitted, making Pikachu snort and Bianca grimace; she could only hope their phones had functioning maps in the middle of the wild.
Hop chuckled with a shake of his head. “So is Leon, so you’re not alone there.” The trainer glanced up at the sky, expression turning rueful as he grunted, “Well, sun isn’t gonna get any brighter. It’s been great chatting with you both, but I really do think you should head off now. Train those Pokemon, too, because the next time we see each other—”
“—we’re having ourselves a rematch,” Ash finished with a wide smile. “Thanks again, Hop. I hope you get better before that battle!”
“Same,” Bianca said in a more subdued manner. “And again, I’m really sorry about that drive here.”
“You keep apologizing, and I’ll keep telling you it’s all good,” the trainer laughed. “Now go out there on your journey already.”
The group then finally split, Hop staying behind for the time being while Ash and Bianca ended their procrastination and took their first proper steps into their journey; for Bianca, her first steps into any kind of journey. It was…
It…was…
This is scary as hell, what am I doing?
This was probably the worst time imaginable to develop cold feet, but as they left Hop behind and stepped into the forest, the artist couldn’t help but shiver as reality hit her like a car being driven by Sonia. What if she tripped and broke a bone in the middle of the wild? How would she get medical treatment?
What if their phones broke, and they had no means of contacting the outside world, or worse, her family?
What if her and Ash got separated, and-
“Woah.”
As soon as she registered the word, Bianca looked up, and every thought fled her mind at the sight before her.
No longer was there a dense thicket of trees, but a massive open area that took her breath away. Laid out in front of them was a plethora of ecosystems and landmarks, enough that they could probably take the entire year to explore and probably not see all of it. Some areas even seemed to have their own weather patterns.
Amongst the entire biomes, she could make out a couple of pink-ish pillars of light scattered around that flickered in and out of view. Were these the power spots? If so, Leon was right in that they didn’t look condensed enough to be a problem, and they were certainly visible enough to avoid entirely if they wished.
But perhaps the most striking feature, surpassing even the unnatural beams of light, was the massive river running through the center of it all. Its size alone made Bianca wonder how navigation through the Wild Area would even be possible, until she spotted a large wooden bridge spanning the width of it to the left. To the right was…
…probably something equally impressive, if she could make anything out at all through the fog that seemed to hang over the area.
And beyond all of this, their destination; a city that was hard to judge the size of, if only due to the sheer distance between them. Was this really just the first step of their journey? No wonder they were given nearly a year to complete the entire thing.
Bianca adjusted her pack as she took a deep breath, slowly exhaling.
Motostoke, here we come.