6:12 P.M. June 27, Saturday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event)

Events: The Preliminaries for the Joint Kanto and Johto Indigo Summer League have concluded; 105 Trainers and their Pokemon have advanced from Bronze to Silver. The day has come for the Summer Round Robin Cup, where the top of Kanto and Johto’s advancing Trainers will compete to be named Seasonal Best. Rhea started her journey on the 9th of June—she’s been a Trainer for 19 Days (18 Officially; 19 since getting Maya and Nova).

Lori rose as the server returned with her mother’s card and followed everyone out of the restaurant; each family divided into their little circles to chat about the upcoming opponents, yet she walked a little ahead of her flirting parents.

Focused on her phone, Mallory messaged Kekoa Newalu while zeroing in on where the battle was going to take place; the holographic map of the town gave her a visual look at how small it was compared to the places she knew back in Unova—it was even smaller than Dark City.

Taking in a short intake of air, she released it slowly, looking up at the still bright sky as the sun descended; a soft gust weaved through the broad streets, wide enough for a car to turn around in—her heart felt like it was going to shoot straight out of her chest.

Splitting the navigation app window, she pulled up Jingglytunes to change the song to something that would better help her mood, humming to the catchy beat.

Native flying Pokemon to Johto and Kanto sat on buildings and signs, observing the humans in their natural habitat, and in a way, Lori wondered what the well-traveled birds thought.

Roxie was doing her best to learn about the various species and mannerisms, listening to the much older and far more powerful Master, High Master, and Grandmaster Pokemon around them. Reflecting on the information, her Rockruff brought Mallory’s internal stress down by sharing what she was learning.

Butterfree flew overhead, migrating to a new area for pollen while Pidgey and Pidgeotto took the high perches to stare down at the Spearow flock below, using the town for shelter against the stronger crew.

A few Murkrow and Natu were watching the conflict while several Taillow were away from their normal migration pattern, looking for scraps of food to eat. Rattata scurried between buildings in their packs, apparently searching for some wild Pikachu that caused them trouble.

There were so many things happening around her that Roxie explained, helping to ease her troubled mind—anything to distract herself from the weight she felt from the upcoming conflict, as much as she couldn’t wait to show what they had.

Glancing back down at the map, she zoomed in to see their current route; the lake docks was a location, but not a specific location. Sending the message for clarification, she waited for a response, studying their dark-haired opponent’s profile.

He wasn’t bad looking, had he lost a bit of weight, but off the smirking photo itself, he wasn’t her type. Still, she’d been surprised in the past when meeting guys to hang out; some people were terrible at taking photos but knew how to present themselves in person.

She shivered as Roxie gave her a small chirp, making her look down at the fluffy dog walking at her side. Hmm … Advice, huh?

Mallory frowned, gaze drifting to her smirking parents behind them; they were whispering dirty jokes to one another to see who could make the first reaction.

Not wanting to interrupt the two—she got a lot of pleasure from seeing her parents interact—Mallory brushed a few strands of loose hair behind her ear and sighed.

Honestly, by these guys’ record, they’ve battled a lot, so their Pokemon should be stronger than us—at least stat wise—but you’re super genetically gifted, Lori added, giving her a big grin. So, we’ve probably got the Move and Ability advantage.

Roxie nodded, showing she was following, and Lori thought about what her doggo had at her disposal; frankly, having two Pokemon out throughout the day was more than a light drain on her fortitudes, but that was the price of them spreading their legs.

Let’s see … there’s a lot we can do, depending on the situation…

She spent the next few minutes going over the thoughts running through her head, preparing the Rockruff for whatever might come.

In the process of strategizing, Lori’s vision wandered, noticing the throng of people swarming the town; it wasn’t all that populated when they first arrived at noon, but as the day went on and people came in by river or road, more teams took notice of them.

Her mother’s glamorous presence and Pokemon drew the majority in; she was the most publicly well-known person in their group. In reality, Christie should have been the largest attraction, considering the scientific breakthroughs and pedigree, but fame came in different degrees, and Trainers certainly got all of the hype.

Besides her parents, Sabin and Katelin drew nervous whispers, and a small smirk lifted Lori’s lips at the number of nervous girls blushing in their packs while talking in hushed tones. Clearly, Katelin noticed, but it seemed the woman was very comfortable in their relationship because she didn’t give a hint of irritation.

Of course, many girls idolized the Platinum-tier blue-haired woman that Lori saw, as well, and grinning teen boys nudging one another to point them out. From everything she gathered, the pair were a hot topic among the Kanto community as golden stars favored to be the region’s next Master-pair power duo.

Even if they were front and center on the street, the number of powerful Pokemon around them made it clear to most that they didn’t want to be bothered. In addition, now that Green, Kris, and Lyra were gone, no one wanted to brave the isolated atmosphere Silver put off or interrupt her parents in their blush-inducing games.

Lori saw Rhea messaging Bianca as she slowed for a second, smile brightening, and soon after swapped to Hannah’s Pikabook messenger. She took a few pictures, commenting on them with her family while posting the images. Mallory didn’t know why, but it touched her heart to see the blonde able to be so open now—before, it was like the girl was a caged bird.

Her attention soon returned to the Trainer App as Kekoa responded.

Kekoa Newalu: Yo! Yeah, the others are cool with us going first. I was hopin for a Triple Battle, but my team’s chill with the Single, too. Anyway, just fair warning, I saw the news article about your Rockruff—three Pokemon already is hype! Nice to see some Alola rep! We’ll be off Pier 4, Training Zone 2.

A hiss passed through Lori’s nose, yawning a second before smacking her lips. Man, she complained to Roxie, I had a ton of sleep, but still feel so tired. Hmm … Is he trying to bait us into having someone else battle because he thinks he’ll be at a disadvantage against you?

She caught the Rockruff ears thoughtfully lower while scanning the passing street; the massive lake opened up before them, showing a decent throng of people along the beach, engaged in various activities, and to her surprise, battling was one of them.

Wow … You can battle just on the beach in this town? That’s cool—can’t do that stuff in cities, but I’d thought they wouldn’t want Pokemon battles to hurt the environment.

Roxie hummed, looking up to stare at a Sandshrew battling a Geodude; the Ground Pokemon dove into the dirt as rocks formed in the Rock Pokemon’s hand, throwing it at the place he entered.

In fascination, she watched him form another stone, but instead of tossing the rock, he held onto it, and the second the Sandshrew shot out to attack, the Geodude used the stone as a barrier to absorb a large chunk of the Dig damage, rocky fingers closing around the dirt rat’s head.

Roxie’s path slowed with the others while watching the fight progress, and on the hat of the Geodude’s Trainer were four standard Bronze Badges—Boulder, Soul, Thunder, and Cascade—the battling boy and girl seemed to know each other by their grins, and likely was on their seventh month as Trainers.

Her Rockruff’s mouth went slack while seeing the Rock Pokemon shimmer, becoming polished; swiftly floating above the Sandshrew’s scratch and grabbing his head, the grinning rough stone flipping into a front flip to slam him into the ground, tucking into a ball to plow into his opponent.

“Think you can win this time, Jane?” he shouted across the field.

The girl chuckled. “I know that Cascade Badge is sucking out the blood in your brain if you think we’ll lose!”

Just before hitting him, the Mouse Pokemon tucked into a ball and was surrounded by bright white light; the strike sent sand spraying as he was thrown back, but he was back in the ground, tail vanishing below the ground.

Amira smiled as they moved down the beach-side walkway, heading for a big docking area. “So, this town allows battles outside of staged areas?”

Katelin giggled, walking backward to continue watching the fight; the pair were so focused on their match they hadn’t even noticed the top-tier Pokemon in the area. “These matches are some of my favorites … The adrenaline’s like a drug—a rush—knowing you had to be careful to avoid stray Moves and collateral damage!”

Keith threw his arm around Rhea, pulling his daughter in. “Heh, sometimes I think we ruined you guys, but there’s really nothing like free-form combat … No holds barred.”

“I mean,” Sabin snickered, following the battle as they went, “there wasn't anything like stadium barrier technology when you were a kid, Dad—and Auntie always said without risk, you’ll never grow.”

“It was a rough time,” Christie hissed. “The number of times I had to patch your father up—I learned first aid because of your father…”

A reminiscent smile moved Silver’s lips. “It certainly was a different time … Still, it’s not like every nation is like Kanto, and the journey is probably a tad rougher in Johto.”

The discussion seemed to pique her parents’ interest as they ceased their playful whispers to walk beside Lori, and her mother lifted an eyebrow. “I guarantee it—sure, Kanto has its renowned Gym Leaders, but Johto has an entirely different taste.”

Letting the woman be pulled into a conversation between the adults, Lori slowed a tad to walk beside her sharp-eyed father; his intelligent irises lingered on her before falling to Roxie, hands closed around his back. “Calming down?”

Of course, he would know … ugh.

She lowered her music a tad, tucking her phone into her rear left pocket. “What do you think, Dad?” she sighed.

“Hmm…” His focus drifted to the laughing men and women ahead of them. “What do I think? I think you girls are too tough on yourselves but saying that isn’t going to change anything.”

“Right?” she grumbled, her arms folding under her chest to glare at the gently flowing lake as it washed against the shore. “I’ve seen how weak I am in the last three weeks—I want to do better…”

“Weak? Humph,” Grimsley mused, narrowed vision moving to the back of her dark brown tank top.

Shoulders shifting uncomfortably, Lori grunted; he was always reading between the lines to find any hidden meaning. “No—I mean, sure, it always bothers me, but that’s not it … Not really.”

“Most things come back to that issue, sweetie,” he softly replied. “It’s how much it’s contributed to your current mental state and circumstance that is the question, and I’d say—at the moment—you’re trying to use it to discourage your self-esteem … Do you believe yourself so inferior to them?”

Mallory’s jaw locked, reducing her pace a bit to draw distance between their two groups; Miky, Gables, and Roxie were silently listening, unsure how to insert themselves. “Honestly … Yeah, Dad—I do—not that I want to. I’m not like them, and that couldn’t be any more clear than how useless I was to them—eh, yeah, I couldn’t even swim.”

She pulled around her purple locks to fiddle with the braid. “I’m a heartbreaking, no-good Muk Lord—heh, I’m a hot triggered dog—a counterfeit city-girl. Amira’s classy and intelligent. Rhea’s adorably friendly—awkwardly cute—outdoorsy … Both are brave and beautiful—I’m just not any of that.”

Grimsley took a deep breath, unfolding an arm to slide it around her side and pull her in. “Indeed, my foul-mouthed daughter. You’re not afraid to scrap in the dirt or offend people, and you’re always ready to give two fingers to Muk kissers—hmm, you certainly can be a Jinx—punking idiots that think they’re tough.”

Mallory rolled her eyes, remembering what Clay told her father once. “Bedpan full of piss and vinegar, am I?”

Her father’s head turned to give her a slight smirk. “It’s ironic how much you seem to like Clay when hating the country—in the end, you know what you did best, and I wasn’t there—so, what advice would you give yourself?”

Hating it when he turned it around like this, she rolled around her neck. “I’d probably punch myself in the face and tell my fat butt to get my head back in the game—stop being a wet puss and do something about it.”

“There you go,” he chuckled, unhooking his hand to flip a coin over her to snatch out of the air. “Well?”

A small grin lifted her lips while looking at the image in her hand. “Tails … Always tails whenever a girl catches it. Huh, Dad?”

“Is it?” he asked, smiling at the clouds rolling into the valley. “In any case, be careful, Lori—your Rockruff is exceptional but young—bide your time and dismantle their strategy. Knowing their win-condition is critical to preventing it.”

Obvious advice, Dad … but you know I needed it…

Puffing out a loud breath, she stretched out her back and looked down at her Rockruff. “So, you think he’s playing us, and we should go with someone else?”

Roxie promptly shook her head, ready to prove herself.

Mallory nodded. “Good—let’s win this!”

Gables and Miky cheered them on as they moved to the pier, but Gables’s pep-talk trailed off as Rhea radiated a loud hum, looking at a semi-nervous waving woman at the end of the dock.

“Oh? Who’s that?” her mother asked.

Amira hissed out a chuckle. “Don’t tell me—Malia, that girl from the cafe?” she asked, eyeing her pretty Alolan dress before studying her gorgeous Alolan Ninetales and Vulpix.

Lori wasn’t too into the Vulpix line, but she could appreciate the appeal; although, considering the woman was already here, told her Amira had been right—whether for her cousin or conspiring on her own, she’d set this up.

Be ready for a good fight, guys.

On their way toward the woman, Keith leaned in to whisper to Silver ahead of them. “Interesting—Gold-tier, but I doubt she did much battling by the look of her Ninetales—naturally gifted.”

“Seems that way,” Silver thoughtfully returned. “Your opinion, Karen?”

“A schemer,” her mother mused. “She’s not big on fighting—it’s clear in her aura—but she’ll certainly stir things up. Not unlike someone else I know,” she snickered, silver-blue eyes darting back at her husband.

Grimsley’s smug expression didn’t falter. “I’ve got a gift. What can I say? Will Lyra be joining us, Silver?”

Lori caught Amira’s instant shift in attention as her father calmly nodded. “I’ll message her when Amira is about to have her battle; she has a debt of some kind to return to Green—naturally, some game to help lighten their moods.”

A curious smirk lifted Mallory’s lips upon seeing Amira roll her eyes at the statement; she couldn’t ponder on it because they were closing in on the woman rather quickly.

Sabin narrowed an eye, observing Malia fidget a bit under their gaze; more than a few people were stopping to see the massive Pokemon surrounding them. “I think her cousin still hasn’t left the lake. They’ve been going at it all night, huh?”

“Really?” Rhea asked, glancing past her to the various figures paddling across the lake; a few were heading their way. “So she really was trying to set up a battle between us?”

Kate snickered. “And listening to us through her bond to those adorable snowflakes—I bet they’re letting her in on everything we’re saying.”

A good practice, Lori thought, glancing down at her serious Rockruff; the newly born Rock Pokemon was quivering to jump into the ring—likely a product of her strong Vital Spirit ability. We have a lot to learn.

She blocked out whatever else was said before reaching the woman; her focus was centered on the water, searching for the opponent that would face them—none of the faces she could make out seemed to belong to her Alolan challenger.

“Hey, Malia,” Rhea greeted, forcing a laugh. “So…”

The blonde adjusted her cap, glancing between the adults of their party. “Hello again, Rhea, umm—I, heh, did not expect you to bring such a crowd … And I am sorry for setting this up—you're not wrong to suspect me—it’s just…”

“Mmm-uh,” Rhea interjected, shaking her head and stepping forward to hold out her hand. “I understand; your cousin was fixated on dangerous stuff, and you needed something to take his obsession away from the Articuno.”

Malia released a grateful sigh, clasping Rhea’s hand to shake it. “Thank you for understanding, Rhea—your team was all he was talking about after they lost to Forrest. So … I thought if I could get you to issue a challenge to him, he couldn’t turn it down.”

“Smart,” Christie giggled. “I know many blockheaded Master Trainers like that—so captivated by a dream they funnel everything into it.”

“Ahem—” Malia gave a short curtsy to the group after stepping away from Rhea. “That being said—heh, I did not expect you to be the niece of the Former World Champion.”

Rhea’s smile became forced, fidgeting with her dress a second. “Yeah, well—eh, my aunt is kind of famous—she normally skips all that World Champion stuff, but the big one on Pasio is drawing her eye. I mean, Red’s currently seen as the World Champion—since my aunt didn’t show up, so…”

Malia’s gaze went to Rhea’s mother, blushing a little before reaching into her bag to take out a science magazine. “Umm—so I’m currently studying to gain an Astronomy internship at the Ula’ula Island Moon Observatory—actually, some of your online study videos really helped me understand a lot of topics in school, so…”

“Those old videos?” Christie asked, reaching forward to take what appeared to be a worn-out magazine. “Oh,” she hummed, examining the cover, “I believe there was a collaboration done in this regarding Extraterrestrial Pokemon that I was a part of.”

Rhea’s smile brightened. “Oh, is that why you were in Apple City?”

Malia reached down to pet her Vulpix as she rubbed up against her leg. “Yeah—but I couldn’t get past the front entrance of the Space Center.”

Mallory wanted to sigh herself when seeing the bright-eyed blonde’s quick look at her mother. C’mon, girl, she played you—you need to be lookin’ into these things … You trust people too easily, and you’re still interested in being super friendly, too…

Christie’s lips pulled in, knowing exactly what her daughter’s pleading eyes meant. “Mmh—I suppose if your cousin will be around Kanto for the season, and you are here—experience in a major independent space center such as TACSCOT would be excellent on a resume…”

Malia’s vision widened as she held up her hands in protest. “No—no, I’m just saying—I-I’m a fan of yours … I don’t want to…”

“Wouldn’t it help you, though?” Rhea innocently asked, just looking to be the helpful girl Mallory couldn’t accept from anyone else—she was helpless to her nature. “I’m not super interested in all that stuff—especially recently,” she mumbled, eyeing her mother's forced smile, “but it must be hard for you—coming to a whole new region and not understanding anything.”

“Erm—okay,” Christie mumbled, catching Karen’s wry smirk, “at most, I can talk to some people, but…”

A light chuckle shook Silver’s chest as his sharp red eyes centered on the Alolan young woman. “Give me your number, and I’ll have you scheduled for an interview; TACSCOT could use every eager young mind it can find. However, for now, let’s return to the topic at hand…”

His gaze lifted from her to a new cluster of kayaks that were coming into the lake from one of the four observable riverways feeding into the body of water. “Your cousin is almost here—asleep, no less.”

Sabin rubbed his chin, a half-smile on his handsome face. “So, they took turns paddling through the day and guiding their teammates' kayaks as they rested—they’ll go far with that dedication.”

“Dedication is one way to put it,” Malia whispered, glaring in that direction. “Umm, yeah, thank you, Mr. Silver! TACSCOT is so much larger than the Moon Observatory—I can’t imagine even having this chance … Umm, thank you, Rhea…” she mumbled, taking back her signed magazine from Christie.

“Don’t worry about it! Okay, so … Are we just going to battle on the shoreline?” Rhea asked, turning to look at the small groups of Bronze and Silver-tier Trainers.

Sabin followed her gaze. “Yup—I mean, you’re not going to find many official battle zones in a town as small as this. So long as it’s Gold-tier or below, challenges close to towns are fine in designated areas.”

“Cool.” Lori stretched her arms overhead before pulling down her tank top and adjusting her shorts. “So, I guess Roxie and I should get ready.”

“Give ‘em some tough love,” Karen winked. “I’ll be recording it for Kass to watch.”

Lori puffed out a long breath. Great, now I definitely can’t lose this … We ready to win this, guys?

Her Pokemon gave a loud cheer, and they headed over to the shoreline to wait, outpacing everyone else to find a suitable spot.

Time to put my resolve to the test … When did I get like this? Time to tap into old Lori—let’s do this!

* * *

Roxie took a deep breath and rolled around in the sand, spraying it everywhere as it stuck to her black and white fur; she wasn’t scared to get dirty like Nova, and the grit burning in her Trainer’s spirit fueled her.

She didn’t quite understand Lori like Gables, but she was her Trainer, and she’d do everything in her power to support her.

The first cracks were there when she first bonded to the purple-haired human; she had a harrowing past, and something about being with Rhea and Amira had triggered something in the girl. It only grew by the day until it came to a head in that cave—she didn’t want to be like this, and she was fighting with everything she had.

Roxie shook out her sand-caked fluff around her neck, looking back at several girls that stopped to sit and watch her, cooing and talking lowly to one another while taking pictures. Humans are weird.

“They really are,” Gabs chuckled. “You haven’t even seen half of it.”

Miky scratched his head from inside his pokeball, having returned to give Lori and her as much energy to draw from as possible. “Half—half be lots, though! I’ve seen half?”

“It’s an expression, dude … Yeah, I suppose culture differences—you good, man?”

Roxie had felt a similar disquiet in the trickster Pokemon; again, she didn’t understand their hesitation or struggle—from the moment she made her first stir inside her egg, she knew only resolve.

“I’s just bein’ what you call—wet socks? I have the wetness that goes splash-quishy-quish?”

“Blanket—heh, wet blanket, my dude, but it’s cool. Eh, like I said, not havin’ a bunch of moves and abilities like Roxie is fine—she’s built differently, but we still got the moves! We gotta learn how to use them better.”

“I’s trying…”

She had nothing to contribute to the discussion; ultimately, she was who she was, and they were them—comparing themselves to her was pointless because they weren’t her, and she wasn’t them. Roxie just had to do what she was made to do, fight. Win—lose—it didn’t matter; she only had to put her all into it.

Is that them, Gabs? Roxie asked, watching a group of people exit some kayaks and meet Malia. He’s bigger than the photo thing.

“Erm—yeah, yeah, it tends to be like that. Umm, yup, none of their Pokemon are out, either.”

Rhea and the rest of their group were near the road where a large group was gathering; it seemed the fame of the humans and Pokemon were drawing a crowd since they were staying to watch this match. Lori’s teammates had recalled their Pokemon, conserving their energy.

Roxie’s claws sank into the sand as the large dark-haired human took up the opposite side from her, glancing to the crowd with a grin before centering on her; she could hear the smug disappointment in his voice.

“I hoped you would have chosen your Froakie, to be honest—sending out your newly hatched Rockruff feels kind of insulting.”

Insulting? He’s making light of me before even seeing me in combat?!

“Make him eat his words!” Gables roared.

“Heh, keep talkin’ like that, and you’ll bite your tongue! Okay, what’s the bet?”

A slight frown touched his lips. “I was hopin’ you’d take this seriously; you’re still goin’ with your baby Rockruff—it’s not a joke?”

Mallory’s tone turned flippant. “Fine, how’s a 1,500 credit bet—serious enough for you?”

A glower crossed his chubby face. “Who’s gonna bite their tongue off again? If you want to throw away your reputation and look like a fool—good by me.”

However, Mallory’s voice was anything but cheeky while speaking to them. “Roxie, we’re gonna need to be fast—it won’t take him long to know you’ve got a ton of Moves you shouldn’t, and you’re stronger than you should be. Worse, he’s native to Alola; so, we need to assume he knows far more about you than me.”

Roxie kicked up some sand and barked. “Show me what you have! I’m ready!”

A big black Gengar that made everyone stiffen rose up from the sand, shadows frothing off its dark form, but Roxie had seen him in Rhea’s pictures.

Keith stood up, clearing his throat. “My Gengar, Franky, will be refereeing—he’s actually League certified, believe it or not. Ha-ha-ha! So, let’s get this underway; the rules are simple.

“First, don’t attack any Pokemon or humans if you can help it—this kind of battle is a trial of your Move awareness, as much as winning!

“Second, strip the opponent of their first energy matrix.

“Third, be the last one standing.

“No boundaries. No time limit. No Move restrictions. Show your selected Pokemon now.”

Franky’s sinister, haunting chuckle echoed across the field as he motioned for Kekoa. “I’m going to keep careful track of every action you two make—I wouldn’t disappoint me,” he grinned, big white teeth and shining red eyes drifting between them. “I’ll make sure no one interferes—that’s a duty of the referee, as well.”

Kekoa expanded an Ultra Ball, shivering as the giant Shadow Pokemon eyed him from the air. “This will be quick…”

Tossing the pokeball, Roxie glared at her opponent as the red light expelled to form a male, brown-furred Pokemon with tan spots and creamy mud shrouds on each hoof.

Roxie could feel it the moment he exited. He’s as tough as Gables…

The Pokemon shook out his black mane, big ears twitching and cut, smooth tail flicking to the side. Horizontal black pupil fixated on her as he yawned. “Hmm … Kekoa seems to think you’ll be weak but … Mmh, there’s something unusual about your coat and feel—I’ve never seen a Rockruff like you back home. Anyway, I’m Kimo—it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Muk,” Lori growled. “A Mudbray … And I’m pretty sure it has Stamina by what I’m reading on the Pokemon’s common datasheet…”