Its early afternoon, the girls were just chatting in the food court, Naomi’s mom was a no show. Actually, Watts seems rather relieved she’s off the hook for talking to her mother at all.

On our way up to the training fields I did get a call from my girlfriend wondering why I was seen in photos on Pokegram with The Pike Queen. Assurances, jokes, and maybe a bit of sweet talking alongside a promise to bring her something nice from the city, disaster averted.

Thinking of the TM shop earlier, “Noami, did you pick up any new moves for your Floette?”

She pulls up her phone to show me, “I got Floral Healing and Grass Whistle.”

The first shows a flurry of flower petals refreshing an alley’s fighting spirit while the second shows a soft tune lulling a Beedrill to sleep.

“Seems you’re going to be focusing on a supportive roll for now.”

“My Delphi needs to evolve all the way to Florges before she can really put any power behind her petals and leaves.” her lips form a pout, “Grass Whistle will be useless in the mosh. I need more pokemon Kurt.”

Hmm, “What would you say your favorite pokemon is? Same to you Jane.”

As I lead the way along the park trail I hear no response. Looking back, both girls seem to be carefully examining the trees. I’m getting a whole lot of nothing while they both turn a shade of red.

Laughing, “Oh, come on it can’t be that bad. Just pull it up on your dex app and we’ll all show eachother.”

After a moment they both turn their phones around and avoid eye contact… Naomi has a rainbow pony and Jane has a rabbit in a hoodie.

“Um, ya girls I don’t know those two.”

Both finally check each other and laugh.

Naomi quirks a brow at Jane, “I guess next year we compete in Galar?”

Jane explains, “These are Galarian pokemon Kurt, hers is a Ponyta, mine is called Raboot.” Her gaze wanders up to the sky visible through the atrium glass, “But honestly, nevermind competing, I want to catch a Galarian Zapdos!”

Watts nods, “Then we have to get a Galarian Articuno!”

I’m pulling these up as they list them, “Well the Moltres is pretty awesome, but those are legendaries or unevolved. I was kinda thinking about needing an Ace this morning.”

Jane flicks her nose, “I’ve always wanted a Charizard!”

Right, “Of course if it’s not legendary then it would be a dragon.”

Watts shakes her head, “I said it the first time, I want a Rapidash. Although I wouldn’t say no to a Xerneas and Flapple are adorable.”

I can’t not laugh at the weird fruit dragon I’ve never heard of before, “Alright but I’m talking about this year.” pointing at them, “Jane, you’ll have a few big hitters, and Watts, I looked it up, Florges is pretty high up there.”

The princess objects, “You’ll have a Cro… I see your problem.”

Looking at my notes again, “So Megas, how feasible is it we’ll be facing them in the tournament?”

“Hardly,” Jane is looking at her onix’s pokeball, “there's no way to train one up naturally in ten years let alone one. As for heritage stones, most are family heirlooms or hidden away. That Sharpedo was probably naturally mega-evolved.”

“I take it those are permanent as opposed to temporary like the stones?”

Both nod but Noami adds on, “The stones also speed up the natural growth towards a permanent evolution, but it’s still a matter of years. It was found that when a fully mega evolved pokemon does sadly pass, they leave behind a new stone or further empower the one they used.”

While browsing my Dex for known Mega Evolutions I find something funny, “That Lisia girl has a Mega-Swanna?”

“Gale was raised from a ducklett, she’s over twenty years old. Lisia rides Gale to all her on location appearances no matter where in Hoenn.” Naomi then points ahead, “Looks like our challengers are waiting for us.”

It’s a sight ahead of us, just beyond the tree lined path. Dozens of young folks on many fields pouring their passion into training their pokemon. This is my life now as well, a hard throb in my chest once more driving home that point. A larger part of me sent myself here….Because he could?

“Come on old man! We’ve only got the field reserved for another twenty minutes!” The scrappy bird boy yells, Chet.

He and his Combusken wait beside Mikey and his Marshtomp, last is Amy and his patchy, almost Flaaffy.

Jane gives me a light jab from the side, “No time for existential dread Kurt, let's go stomp some kids.”

Ya, cause it totally has an off switch, “Alright, let's just leave our issues off the field then. You think your Onix is ready to cooperate?”

“Let’s find out!” With a flick of her arm and a flash of light the white marble onix takes to the grass.

I do enjoy the slight wobble in the legs of the kids we’re about to crush. Of course I won’t be too mean, that's for bullies like Jane. Not thrilled about the attention my Joltik will catch however.

Clicking my net ball, Tesla pops into view. She chitters gleefully and does a little circle around my legs before doing another around Jane. Seems she’s got energy to burn this afternoon.

Noami calls out her Floette. The sprite appears in mid air and rides the wind with her large blue flower. “Alright team let's form up, just like yesterday.”

While we move to our side of the practice field, my Joltik and Watts’ Floette take a position atop a begrudging Onix. The other team has their pokemon all lined up. Combusken, Flaaffy, and Marshtomp are all in the two to three foot height range.

Our local ref hasn’t said anything yet. Glancing over I spot the glasses wearing lad slack jawed and staring, presumably at my Joltik.

“Hey!”

No response, “HEY! Can we battle?”

Again nothing, in fact, he’s taking out his phone to take a picture!

Jane impatiently yells, “Tesla, string shot the ref.”

Loyal to a fault, my little red spider fires off some thread at the yelping referee.

With that solved we can finally fight.

“Trainers are you ready?”

Cheers around!

“Battle Start!”

Our redhead takes the lead, “Ramming Speed!”

“Ember Feathers!” “Mud Shot.” “Static Cotton!”

A plume of burning feathers and synergistic cotton tufts fills the air, while an unhelpful ball of mud flings through the middle.

Naomi is on it with her Floette, “Fairy wind it all away and start singing!”

The white Onix charges into the middle of the other squad. Along for the ride, Floette succeeds in clearing the opponents moves while my Joltik fires off string shots to slow them down.

Chet isn’t about to just roll over, “Flank and go for a Double Kick!”

Jane reacts, “Shine on!”

Honestly I think it needs a better name, but now’s not the time, Marshtomp is lining up another shot while a blinded Combusken’s kick sails wide. “String up that Marshtomp!”

Spider thread and leafy gusts continue to fend off attacks while the glittering Onix remains unstoppable. Her first victim is the slower Marshtomp that’s gotten tied up.

It got in one Water gun on point but that only made Marble angry as she circled the blue salamander and used Bind to start crushing it.

With that out of the way, Tesla shoots an Electro Web at the bleary eyed yet persistent Combusken.

All the while Flaaffy has been trying to send ranged sparks at our team only to have everything ground out on Onix or blown away by Floette’s wind.

Chet is running out of ideas, “Ember the webs, at least take one out!”

As if, “Tess, just get behind Marble.”

Flaaffy unfortunately gets tripped up in webs on the ground just before taking an onix tail to the side and sent sailing through the air.

Amy yips, “No! Bianca!”

Just the fire chicken remains, Jane gives the final order, “Finish Him!”

No stubby bird legs are going to out run a highly polished giant snake. The Combusken gets launched out of bounds.

“Team Alpha Dragons are out, the Red Rebels win.”

We meet in the middle. Chet is giving Combusken a ride on his back, it looks sore but not wrecked. Mikey is just surly, marshtomp already in its ball. Amy is soothing a sniffling Flaaffy.

They hardly touched us, “Well clearly our strategy is completely unfair, which is great if a tad simple. You guys showed a hint of something with all those burning feathers and cotton fluff.”

Amy and Chet glance at each other and it’s immediately obvious that it was an accident.

Blowing out a deep breath, “Alright ya little chumps, have you even team battled before?”

Mouth of the team Chet speaks up, “Not to this degree, we’ve piled on attacks before but nothing near as coordinated as you guys.”

Naomi shakes her head, “We really aren’t. Jane’s Onix is a big wall with great typing for this particular gym battle,”

“A note here,” Jane cuts in, “Your Marshtomp should have hard countered our plan if the other two could manage to distract Marble.”

“Right,” Naomi continues, “Our idea is just to have a defence, utility, and offence while taking advantage of typing where we can.”

My turn, “So we’re not exactly combining moves or anything but just sticking to roles. You guys have more options then just flailing about.”

Amy stands up and glares at the other two, “Oh we’ll be working on coordination alright. No more bickering you two. Traditions nothing, if any of us are gonna survive this week’s event we need to work together.”

While this one is all fired up, those two boys, well…

Mikey points at Chet, “He did a whole lot of pointless running and canceled your move. I don’t see why you're lumping us together.”

I raise my arms while our Onix snorts a breath off hot air that nearly knocks over the loud kid, “Thanks Marble.” she goes back to basking in sunny victory. “You three need much better team work to get top spots in a battle royal. Honestly, you should probably just move on and come back to this gym later.”

Chet growls, “We can’t, there's a fine for canceling the week of.”

“I didn’t think you two would be this bad at working together,” Amy sighs, “It’s not like Bird Keepers and Hikers are even rivals normally.”

As they stop talking Naomi has something to add, “You should just do you best. Even we will be hard pressed.”

“You think Marble will go down?” Jane and her onix zero in on the blonde.

Quickly shaking her head, “No, she’s nearly guaranteed as long as she keeps up speed and the whole arena doesn't gang up on us.”

Pulling out her phone, Naomi shows us a media snippet, “The Kanto Royals are in Hoenn this season, and they’re on the battle line up with us.”

Amy and Jane both cry, “That's not Fair!”

“Fill me in kids,” this team seems to have some rep.

Jane gives me the lowdown, “It’s a trio of gym leaders’ kids from Kanto. This is their fourth year following their parents world tour. They’re from the Cerualian, Pallet, and Pewter City gyms.”

Chet clearly can’t shut up, “Isn’t Crystal from Alola?”

Jani flicks his head for interrupting, “It’s called divorce and joint custody, it happens sometimes.”

Great, I can already imagine this brat calling home to ask about divorce and scaring the shit out of his parents.

Moving on, “Alright so I’m guessing it’s Ash, Brock, and Misty’s kids?”

“Close,” Jane shows me a lineup of Cerulean City gym, “Misty got called to the Kanto Elite Four, the Sisters still run the gym however. Iris is Violet’s youngest daughter.”

The article she's showing me has a family tree image, Misty seems to have never got married. I remember one of the movies, I thought she and Ash were a thing.

“Then Ash Ketchum is the Pallet Gym leader right? Who’d he marry?”

Naomi raises her eyebrows at me, “Didn’t think you were into old gossip. The former champ married his childhood sweetheart Serena.”

“Who?”