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- Alloy Stone wipes the sweat from her brow as she comes to greet us with a smile. “Hey guys!”

She’s looking like a modern cowgirl in her fancy duds. I guess the suit and heels don’t see much use out of town.

Naomi is practically bursting, “You didn’t tell me it was a Canyon King weekend!”

The future steel type master just smirks, “Well now you know! Don’t worry, I’ll cheer for you.”

Jane points, “Don’t you mean battle us?”

“Maybe.” She turns to the approaching Hiker Guild official.

“Congratulations on your third win this morning, Miss Stone.” He turns to us and pulls a tablet from his satchel, “Are you folks looking to join the challenge?”

“Yup,” I answer for the group, “What’s the rundown?”

He starts keying up our trainer profiles, “Looks like you just made it, only a couple spots left.” He gestures to the several, spire top battlefields, “You’ll be matched up against challengers with as many wins as you. If you decline a match you’re automatically out. Each battle is one on one, single pokemon. You can’t use the same pokemon in more than one battle.”

Citro gulps, “So you need five wins and six pokemon to even battle in the final?”

The mountain man’s brow arches, “Kid, no one comes up here that doesn’t have a full team.” He eyes our profiles again, “Rookies rarely get far, but we don’t stop you from entering. Got to get experience somewhere right?”

Stone points at the hiker’s tablet, “So who's my next opponent?”

Chuckling, “You’ll have to wait for a bit, you’re the first to the fourth match today.”

Alloy is all smiles as she turns back to us, “I’m going back down for a snack real quick. Don’t lose before I get back!”

The kids blanch at her words but I’m kind of hyped up, “See you in the finals!”

“We’ll see Mr. Bodyguard.” She tips her hat and heads for the lift.

Naomi straightens her back and steps up, “Alright point us to our fields please!”

“Alrighty Miss!” He points to a field with a younger hiker, “Citro, you’ll challenge Drew.”

Citro exhales, “Alright, wish me luck!”

Watts has her game face on, “You can do this Citro.”

Jane smacks his back, nearly sending him stumbling, “Knock ‘em out bud!”

“Alright, easy on shoving folks near cliffs,” smirking to the boy, “Go get 'em!”

Our redhead chuckles nervously having forgotten about the whole, hundreds of feet up, thing.

“Jane.” Announces Hiker dude.

“Yes!?”She squawks at her name.

He points to another young hiker, this one relaxing on a bench and talking to her own teammates. “You’ll be facing Heidi.”

She just nods and gives us a wave before dashing off.

“I mean it!” I call after her, “Don’t send anyone over the cliff!”

Half of the trainers around us look over in concern.

“Kurt, stop playing around.” Naomi chides, guess she’s all business right now… or nervous.

“Miss Watts, you’ll be battling here against Andre.” He points to a fella on a bench with a familiar purple, half cape thing.

Naomi hesitates, but then smiles, “A dragon trainer huh?”

The official just nods, “Last, Kurt.” He points to another neighboring spire, “You have the luck of representing Hoenn against a Region Challenger from Galar, Miss Abigail”

Nodding I make for the wooden rope bridge linking the rock spires. Right, who am I using first? Probably ought to save the big guns for last. The sky looks like I may luck out with some clouds later.

Deciding to look at my teammates instead of the long drop. Jane is already calling commands for her Shiny Golisopod against some kind of hippo pokemon. Citro’s Salazzle is looming over an unlucky Crustle. Naomi just sent out her first pokemon, seems it’ll be Argo the Whimsicott versus the middle stage of the Garchomp line.

I step back onto solid ground, not that the red and beige rock cliffs aren’t majestic. I’d just rather view them from... Nearly any other perspective.

A woman with spiky brown, anime hair chuckles my way, “Enjoy’n tha view rookie?”

Wow, okay, why am I struggling not to laugh at the practically Scottish accent?

“Just, taking in the scenery.”

She’s actually stepping back to check a camera on a tripod… I’m getting the impression Miss Galar Pro here isn’t taking me seriously.

Still, doesn’t mean I should be rude, “I’m Kurt, from Rustburo.”

“Abby, Circhester.” She stretches her arms and does a couple warm up hops, her sports jacket has some logos on it. “Ready whenever you are.”

Our ref steps up to the side of the field, another gal in a hiker vest, “On 3. 1… 2… 3!”

“Rusty, you’re first!”

“Go, Zerker!”

Abby grimaces slightly but calls out, “Hone Claws.”

Okay, stand there, “Sand Attack then Dig!”

My Sandslash kicks up a big spray of dirt while diving underground.

The weird, Viking Meowth swipes at the dust cloud while trying to get a guess on Rusty’s movements.

Abby keeps it cool, “Taunt.”

Like knives scraping a pan, the steel empowered claws slide against each other in a way far more annoying than it should be.

Rusty bursts from the ground in a geyser of gravel just in front of the cat!

“Bullet Punch!”

Shit! “Bulldoze Rusty!”

Steel cat claws bash against my Sandslash’s balled up form. Rusty only gets a glancing blow before landing and pivoting while scooping as much dirt into his claw attack as possible. Like smashing someone with a full shovel of dirt!

Zerker staggers from the hit. Abby yells out, “Burst!”

With a yowl of anger the cat leaps to retaliate! Rusty instinctually balls back up. Let's roll with it.

“Gyro ball.”

“Dodge!”

Fortunately Rusty is a lot more agile rolling around than the little viking cat. We get two clips in while kicking up more dust.

The Galar pro practically growls, “Iron defense, wait for it.”

Rusty lines up the next attack while the cat just plants its feet ready to take the hit.

I can’t help grinning, “Just like we practiced last time Rusty! Hit ‘em Hard!”

Abby snorts, “Really?! Iron Head Zerker!”

“Drill Run!”

My opponent barely gets out a yelp of panic as my Sandslash pops into a hop with a barrel roll of a spin. He hits the ground just in front of the cat like a cannonball before the Iron head can connect. An explosion of dirt clouds the entire far side of the battlefield.

Coughing, Abby waves dirt from her face to see her cat knocked out on the ground while my little show off is cleaning his claws off to the side.

“Perrserker is unable to battle. Trainer Kurt is the winner.”

Abby looks at the ref then back to me, “You dobber, what the fook is upwit tha Sandslash?!”

This gal is Pissed, “Uh, Steel/Ground type.”

Her eyes actually bulge, “Arceus damned lab trainers!”

With that, she storms off, grabbing her camera as she heads for the lift back down.

The referee walks over with a scowl, her tablet in hand, “Close one there, but she really was a bit rude huh? Anyway, your next match is another region challenger. This one is from Kanto.” She points to a taller spire, “Head up that one and look for a blonde guy, his name is Surge.”

“Uh… Surge?” Not the gym leader right?!

She looks up and seems confused for a moment before laughing, “I think he's Master Surge’s nephew or something. No way an Elite Four is gonna hang out in a place like this.”

A bit of wind spills amongst the countless spires. My bridge sways gently enough to feel like a rocking boat in a cove. I spot some of the other trainers gripping the ropes for dear life.

“Ha. Wonder how the team did?”

Reaching the stairs at the next spire gives me a pretty good view. Seems type advantages across the board brought us all to the next round.

Naomi’s opponent is still chatting with her. Jane is trying to cheer up her defeated opponent. I think the hiker girl is actually crying! Citro is already walking onto a field where a man is waiting with his Mandibuzz. The vulture has an arrogance I can see from here.

Cresting the top of my own spire I spot a pair of trainers waiting. Both of the couple are blondes and wearing green overalls. The male has his in a top knot style I wouldn’t be caught dead with.

He separates from his partner and walks to his side of the field, “Hey there, you must be Kurt. I’m Matt, let's have a fun match!”

Well he’s certainly nicer than my last opponent, “Sure thing bud!”

Maybe I’ll not counter this guy completely if he uses electric types like his uncle, I should probably save Kona for Alloy anyway. “Ready when you are.”

Another ref from the Hikers, this one sitting on a tall wooden chair like this is a public pool, “On my go trainers. Ready… Start!”

Flashes on the field!

“Amp it up Raichu!”

“Catch it quick Tesla!”

My giant red tarantula Wild Charges in but the evolved mascot practically disappears in a flicker of sparks.

Surge points, “Shock and awe combo!”

“Iron Defense!”

Tesla hunkers down just in time for Raichu to ram into her with its own Wild Charge that it combos into an ineffective Thunder Wave.

“Web it now!”

Sparking silk sprays out from my Galvantula but the speedy mouse flickers away again.

The Kanto trainer points again, “Get under and Fling!”

Shit!

Raichu Flash appears right behind Tesla and actually blasts up in a burst of electricity that sends Tess flying!

“Spiderman!”

Tesla shoots webs at the ground and yanks herself right back into the Raichu that thought it could catch its breath.

This is our chance, “Leech Life!”

“Endure and Charge!” Surge is grimacing while trying to think of something.

Plasma arcs back and forth between the two pokemon as Raichu struggles to break free of the Galvantula’s claws.

Gotta end this, “Bug Bite!”

Fangs usually hidden strike forward.

Matt screams, “Flash Havoc!”

A blinding light takes over the spire top along with the strong smell of ozone and burning hair. Raichu is free but down on all four paws and breathing heavily. Tesla is frantically rubbing her eyes, no doubt hurting from the point blank nova.

I can see her metallic red fur crawling with electricity from having absorbed so much.

My opponent is grinning, “Finish it with a Volt Tackle!”

“Pin Missile forward!”

Raichu dashes in too fast to change direction, face first into a shotgun blast of sparking needles.

The mouse goes flying with a pain filled yelp.

“No!” Matt rushes forward to check on Raichu.

“Raichu is unable to battle, Kurt wins!”

My own pokemon is still chittering about, nervous, sparking, and blinded.

“Tess, I’m right here Tess.” I carefully navigate the dozens of quills stabbed into the ground. I can’t help sighing at the bald patch on her fur. I know this won’t heal in a couple days.

She calms down slightly but still looks pretty agitated, and I can’t get any closer to my dog sized spider without risking getting shocked myself. I’ll just have to put her in her ball for a bit.

As I return my pokemon, Matt speaks up behind me, “You should find a metal pole or something that goes pretty deep. Discharging the rest of that pent up energy should help her chill out.”

“Thanks,” I blow out a breath of air, “Close match huh?”

He sighs and nods, “Ya, crazy tough bug you got there… Hey, how about we try to have my Raichu absorb the energy back. That should sort us both out!”

The Surge lad and I send out our pokemon, he breaks a small crystal that causes Raichu to awake with a jolt. “Easy buddy. Hey, try and use your tail to help out the spider. Match is over, we lost fair and square.”

Tesla flinches a little as the lightning bolt tail of the Raichu taps her back. It’s so weird, like a vacuum for static sparks. Both electric pokemon look a little more steady one their feet. Well, my Tess is still blinking a bit and rubbing at her eyes.

“Rest up girl, great fight.”

Matt nods “True enough.”

Our referee calls out from his chair, “Don’t go anywhere guys, Kurt versus Tomoe is next.”

Surge laughs, “Well, looks like my girl gets to avenge me!”

I can’t help chuckling too… right up until the scowling blondie brings out a Nidoqueen.

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